Who She Brought Home
by GermanBros24
Summary: Gil and Liz have always been best friends, and just that, friends. Gil starts to notice he may feel a bit stronger about her, he just may love her. He realizes this a moment too late. Roderich, a transfer student comes and he is everything Gil isn't, and everything Liz wants. The two boys fight for her love and it all comes down to who will she take to meet her parents and prom?
1. Chapter 1

**Yet again here's some pruhun from me, totally big surprise right? Well its going to be a wild ride, got some Fryingpangle! Highschool AU!**

**Well please enjoy**

***dont own Hetalia***

Chapter 1

Elizaveta Hevardy was a popular girl, with flowing brown hair and bright green eyes. She was kind and funny, and had the perfect seventeen year old life. She was smart and had good friends, in clubs and sports, and nothing was missing. Nothing except the perfect boyfriend to go with the perfect life.

Sure many boys asked her out, but she never would go on more than one date. She wanted the perfect boy, her dream boy; a smart and handsome gentleman that would make her friends jealous. A cute boy who did romantic things, like bring her flowers and open up car doors. She wanted a boy she could be proud to take him to show her dad, who would get along well with her mother. She knew one day she would find the perfect boyfriend, if she was only patient.

In the meantime, she had her very obnoxious, albino, lifelong friend Gilbert to spend time with. She had always been a little bit of a tom boy, and she was happy that way. In grade school when most the boys thought she was weird, and all the girls thought she was a freak, she had just one friend. She had the equal freak, the red eyed, silver haired, tough and sometimes mean Gilbert.

He was not perfect, he was far from it. But as time went on she never wished him anywhere but where he was right now. Gil did not fit into her perfect life, and maybe that was why she liked having him. She was happy that she had friends, and she liked being popular but she had not really asked for it, it had just happened. And being her, she wouldn't be the normal popular girl all the time. She broke the rules and it seemed people at the World Academy High School loved her more for it.

Liz kept Gil as her best friend, because that was what he was. He was annoying and maybe even a bit of a lowlife, but he was very loyal, and always there when she needed him. They had always been there for each other, and she never wanted that to change.

Gil annoyed her other friends, he was only somewhat popular, he was branded as a no good player, and the only reason he kept his grades up were so he could play for the school's soccer team. Her father hated him and her mother just barely tolerated him, he was the part that just didn't flow. But he didn't care, and neither did Liz.

This particular albino was sitting in her Chemistry class with her. They were lab partners and supposed to be working on a lab.

Gilbert was wearing jeans and black converse, with a black shirt. He was strikingly handsome and made the albino thing work for him, and he had this cologne on that had Felica nearly falling out of her chair trying to get closer to smell him. He smirked once he noticed it but Liz smacked his arm.

"You are not allowed to fuck and leave Felica!" she muttered glaring at him

He raised his eyebrow "I don't remember asking your permission." That usual dangerous smirk spread across his lips, and a mischievous look was alive in his red eyes "Are you jealous?"

Her glare was enough to keep him from saying anything else, but she retorted "I would not even kiss you, yet alone fuck with you."

He poured one of the chemicals into the big vial "One of these days my sex appeal is going to prove too much for you and you'll wake up in my bed totally sated."

She kicked him under the table. This perverted banter and one sided physical abuse was a very normal occurrence. He said stupid things, she hit him. He never hit her back, not even as a joke.

"One day Lizzy, you'll come to me. You will fall for me." He said confidently and poured in the wrong chemical, making their mix turn green. It was supposed to be orange.

She sighed "If only you focused on your school work as much as you did your…extracurricular activities."

He smirked at her "Extracurricular activities? Really Liz, can't bring yourself to say fucking? To popular and proper for that now?" he teased

She rolled her eyes and got up to dump out their failed mixture. Gil still treated her the same way as he always had, since grade school. He still teased her, he still drove her crazy. Others had changed; they were fake and polite, and plastic. She hated that, and it made her like Gil even more. He kept her from thinking she was 'all that', he kept her head screwed right on her shoulders sometimes.

Gil had his chin in his hand and elbow on the lab table. He watched her from across the room. They had always been friends. Always been so close, and when everyone hated him she still was there with him. He thought he would lose her to popular friends, but she had stubbornly hung onto him. He loved their friendship, he loved being with her. He loved their casual teasing and really, he loved her. He had liked her, really liked her for months now. Maybe it was always there, but it was getting worse. He could barely think about anything else when he was alone. And little did she know he was not fucking half the school. He didn't want anyone else but her, and not just in a screwing sense. He wanted Liz's heart but he would never get it so what did it matter? They were best friends. He knew her feelings. He knew the type of man she wanted to date. He knew very well that the one she wanted was certainly not him.

And he would just have to live with that. He would like her in silence, love her in his dreams. Nothing more. Nothing else.

She came back as their five minute bell rang. "So are you going to come to the game tonight? We are playing our rivals, it's a big game. If we lose our championship chase is over."

She nodded "Yeah I'll come, I'm pretty sure Felica is going." She was pretty good friends with the little Italian girl. She had a group of friends, there was a low count of females in the school so most of them hung out together.

Gil looked pretty happy about her coming and she brushed it off as the bell rang and she left. Gil had a funny way of showing his emotions. If he was sad or hurt, usually he showed it with anger. He was probably hiding his nervousness with the happy look. He was the team captain after all; a loss would be blamed on him.

He followed her out of the room to go to his next class. She wasn't in it, but his best friends Antonio and Francis were. They always found some way to raise hell in the back of that English class.

Gil really was a bit of a low life. He was a sassy punk, he gave teachers lip and he did not hesitate to get in a fight if provoked. He was on a first name basis with the ladies in the office since he spent half the school year in the office waiting to see a dean so they could scold him. He would fight boys with fists in the halls or even in the middle of class if they gave him a reason to. He would just do enough work to get a passing grade so he could play sports.

He raised hell and caused disturbances, he flirted with girls who caught his eye. He still flirted, it would look suspicious if he stopped. His heart was not really in it though and he didn't follow through with half the things he said.

It was no small wonder that Liz's friends hated him. It was not a surprise that every father hated and feared the name "Gilbert Bielschdmit." He knew damn well no one's parents would like it if their daughters came home with him.

But he didn't care. Gil was a loyal guy, loyal to those loyal to him. And he was loyal to four people. Francis, Antonio, Liz, and his brother, Ludwig. He didn't care about anyone else and it was unlikely that he ever would.

That was his life, that was the ways things were and he didn't mind.

Gil sat in the back with his friends and the trio proceeded to not do anything at all for the next hour besides joke around and make plans for the weekend. He talked soccer with Antonio since the Spaniard was on the team with him.

At the end of the hour the three split up, and Gil went through the rest of his day without getting into very much trouble. The final bell found him in the locker room with the other members of the team: Ludwig, who was a midfielder, Lars who was a defender, Ivan who was the goalie, and Feliks who was the other defender. Gil and Antonio were forwards. Gil was pleased with the team, he thought they were pretty solid but he was still nervous.

The thought of Liz watching the game both reassured and made him more nervous. He smiled a bit to himself and pulled his jersey on, looking at the door, his confidence building. He whistled and yelled "Let's go!"

-thanks for reading, please follow favorite and review! This will be updated very regularly and it's going to get more exciting I promise


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The game came back to Gil in pieces, and each piece sent a fresh wave of rage through his body. They had lost. They had lost because of that stupid boy with the mole and glasses. He had totally charged Lars and hurt him. Lars didn't have a replacement so he kept playing like a hero but he could not keep up, and he was a key player.

As if that wasn't bad enough this stupid mid fielder tripped Gil and never got flagged. Antonio got shoved, and the stupid player, what was it, Eldstein never got a penalty, no matter how loud Gil and the team roared at the ref.

They had lost, four to three and their championship run was taken to an abrupt halt. Fuming in the locker room Gil said nothing to the team, but seized his bag and stormed out in his soccer uniform and shoes still. He was heading for the beat up car he and Ludwig shared but a girl with flowing brown hair stopped him.

"Gil." Eliza said standing in the dark parking lot.

Gil chucked his bag in the back seat and leaned against the car, kicking the wheel while he did so.

"What." he growled, still angry, and so close to a rage fit.

"Gil it's…its ok." she said softly

Her voice had it worse. She had watched him fail, and she had the sweet tone that twisted his heart. He did not answer her, but muttered "Ludwig is coming, we need to get home."

She looked at him for a long moment before nodding "I'll see you tomorrow."

He nodded and got in the car, driving off once Ludwig got in. Both were silent for the ride and the rest of the night.

Gil showered and went to bed, but he lay awake for a while, still angry. Ludwig was up doing his homework like a good student. Gil did not fall asleep, even when the light from Ludwig's room went out.

The next morning the brothers ate breakfast and drove to school again in silence. Ludwig was quiet by nature and Gil had nothing to say. Gil parked in the school's lot and they walked into the building and went their separate ways.

Gil headed to his locker and was met by Liz, who was calmly leaning against the metal locker blocking his way. He looked at her and muttered "Please move."

She crossed her arms across her chest and shook her head "Not until you talk to me."

He growled "I am talking to you."

She gave him and sharp look and he sighed "After school ok? Come over, we can watch and movie and I'll…talk."

Liz seemed pleased enough with that and let him get into his locker. He smiled a little as he pulled out his Chemistry book. She cared about him, she always did. But then he was painfully reminded she only cared about him as a friend would.

He shut his locker with a little more force than needed and together they walked to class. They sat at their lab table and the teacher instructed them to get their homework out.

The homework Gil had chosen not to do yesterday.

Liz gave him a reproachful look as she got hers out, and he sat there with his hands folded on the desk.

The teacher walked over with his clip board. "Where's your work Mr. Bielschdmit?"

"I didn't do it." Gil growled, not in the mood to play this game

"Why not?"

"I just didn't." he snapped back, glaring at the Chemistry teacher.

"Oh, so do you think because you are on a sports team you don't need to do your homework? You think you're 'all that'? You need to work harder…on and off the field it seems, after that miserable show yesterday." The class laughed a little, everyone but Liz, and Lars who shared Gil's shame. And who was now wearing a knee brace and limping around the school.

Gil nearly lunged out of his seat but Liz grabbed his arm and jerked him down and kept him in the chair. The teacher scribbled something on the board and walked away. Gil was fuming for the rest of the hour and when the bell rang he stormed out without even waiting for Liz.

His mood was not even improved by seeing Antonio and Francis in English. Antonio, being cheerful despite the brutal loss smiled at Gil and patted his shoulder "It's only a game Gil, people will forget. Think about this weekend that should brighten you up!"

Francis grinned and Gil smiled a little. He had plans to hang out with them, have a bonfire and drink some stolen alcohol from Francis's house, then probably play some vicious three person video game marathon that would end in much swearing and probably one physical fight.

His mood would have improved if the English teacher did not decided to give Gil extra work to do for missing the work do today. Scowling he sauntered off to gym, where the gym teacher had fun jibing at Gil for the soccer game. By lunch Gil was ready to punch the next person who said anything remotely irritating in the face.

Thankfully he was not irritated and the rest of the day went rather smoothly. At the end of the day he got his books planning to actually do his homework tonight and waited there for Liz. Ludwig would probably be by the car. Ludwig didn't have classes with his brother, and he tried hard to avoid his brother during the day. He loved Gil but he didn't want all the teachers to hate him like they hated Gil.

When Liz walked over he smiled a bit "So how was your day?"

He listened patiently and walked to the car with her, he listened and he did care. Even if half of her story was about some senseless girl drama that he barely could follow.

Liz smiled and opened the car door and got in. Gil was not the door opening type, and she knew that. Gil wouldn't open the car door for the Queen of England herself. He was not the gentleman type of guy, she knew it, and she liked it. Her perfect boyfriend would open doors but not her best friend.

She liked how Gil would listen too. Though she felt like he only listened because he had to tell Francis, who was actually interested in the who was dating who thing.

Ludwig got into the car and was not surprised to see Liz there; he waved a bit and was quiet as Gil drove them home.

He parked in the driveway and looked at Liz "So what movie?" he asked as they went for the house.

"Oh hell no, you aren't weaseling out of telling me what's bothering you. You can ask me that question when I'm done."

Gil sighed and glared "You know me to damn well."

She just smirked at him. Ditching their school bags, they walked down into the basement where Gil had the entertainment set put up.

Gil and Ludwig lived alone. Aldrich, their father had left them, and Gil since then had taken care of himself and Ludwig. Ludwig had a job and worked most of the year, Gil took summer jobs, otherwise they depended on the life insurance they had from their mother's death, and the occasional check from their father.

When their father had first left Gil felt alone and overwhelmed, and Liz was the one he had leaned on. She knew things that Antonio and Francis didn't.

They sat on the couch and she looked at him "What's bothering you- and don't you dare tell me is the game because I know it's not. You have lost big games before, it's something else."

Gil stared at her. What was bothering him? It had to be something more…but he hadn't really thought about it. What she said was true…so what was it? God, how he hated and loved how well she knew him. Sometimes it felt like she knew him better than he knew himself.

Then it hit him. His feelings for her were bothering him, the fact he was hiding something from her too. They had no secrets. And now he was hiding this.

Not that he would be telling her that.

He didn't want to lie, not to her. So he looked her in the eye and said "One day…I'll tell you. But that's…not today."

Just the slow way he spoke, how carefully he had picked his words, made Liz concede. She nodded "Fine." And then leaned over and hugged him.

He hugged her back and closed his eyes. He loved how this felt. Her arms around him. The smell of her very faint perfume. His heart sped up but he hoped she wouldn't notice it.

She pulled away sooner than he would have liked but he smiled a little "I'm ok, I promise."

She nodded and leaned against the couch. "I'm sure you think so."

He didn't answer and just played a movie. They often watched horror movies together, today they watched The Conjuring.

They didn't cuddle, but that sat close to each other. He watched it, sometimes stealing sideways glances at her face. He couldn't find a fault in her face. Her hair was soft and fell in tendrils, her cheeks always had a hint of color and her eyes were brilliant, always sparkling. He had to tear his eyes away.

He was her friend. He was nothing more.

When the movie was over he drove her home. He parked in the driveway but didn't get out. Her father didn't like him and he wasn't going to try and change his opinion. Both men just preferred avoiding each other. Gil smiled "I'll see you tomorrow."

Liz grabbed her bag and got out, nodding "Yes." and walked in the door.

He sighed and went home, cooking dinner for him and Ludwig and then getting two days' worth of work done before going to sleep.

One more day until the weekend. He rolled over in bed and closed his eyes. Maybe he would tell Antonio and Francis how he felt about Liz. The two of them might have something to say that would help him get her to like him too even if he wasn't her dream boy.

Never once did he think he would have to compete with anyone. How very wrong he was.

**So there's chapter 2, I'll update this week I think. Thanks for reading! Please follow, favorite, and review!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The weekend came as a huge relief to Gil. If he had been in school a day longer he might have gotten into a fight. Also he was looking forward to hanging out with his friends, despite being nervous to tell them how he felt about Liz.

Saturday evening he drove to Antonio's house and pulled into the driveway, seeing Francis's car was already there. He grinned and walked inside, not bothering to knock. Antonio and Francis were laying out food and drinks on the table in front of the TV.

In a half hour Gil had gone through three bottle of beer, Antonio had managed one, and Francis had a sip and was revolted by the taste. Gil called him a little bitch, and then in turn got shove in the back.

They started to play Halo, and they were in a pretty intense three player fight that included a lot of swearing, hitting each other on the arm, and peering at each other's screens.

Francis blew up Antonio and Gil at the same time and in response both friends smacked him, and unfortunately for Francis he sat between the two, and was within perfect reach. Despite the swearing and hitting each other, by the end their friendship was still perfectly intact.

Gil set into a fourth bottle and smirked "Come on Francis don't be a baby, drink it." Gil didn't have any issue with drinking, and maybe he drank just a bit too much today, he was feeling a buzz.

He shook his head "It's gross."

Gil nearly hit him again but Antonio spoke up "So Gil, you haven't brought any girls over recently, how come?"

Antonio's house was kind of the make out spot for the three of them, Antonio nearly always had the house to himself. So it was also the spot where they had a few times, taken it way past second base.

The three walked outside to start up the bonfire, Gil took a seat in the chair and sighed "I wanted to say something about that actually."

"You're gay?" Francis oh so helpfully piped in.

Gil stared at him and said "No."

Antonio laughed and struck a match, starting the fire. Francis was far too worried about setting his fabulous hair on fire and Gil wasn't to be trusted with dangerous objects like matches.

"Then what?" Antonio asked taking a seat as the fire grew.

Gil sighed and looked into the flames "I…I think I love Liz."

Antonio looked at him, his green eyes bright with curiosity "Your friend Liz?"

He sighed and nodded, going to take a drink of beer but then slowly putting it down. Saying it out loud had somehow made it more real and his stomach twisted at it.

Francis looked at Gil, he had yet to speak. Slowly he smiled "Then you should go for her like you would anyone else."

Gil glared "I can't! She's my best friend, I know damn well who her type is and it sure as hell isn't me!"

Antonio leaned back in his chair "Then show her you don't need to be her dream guy. She kept you as a friend all these years, she had a degree of care for you then. Work it to more. Lovi and me aren't exactly the picture perfect pair are we?"

Gil sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He just couldn't, why did they not see that? Liz wanted a gentleman, not Gil. Liz wanted someone her friends actually liked, not an obnoxious albino that was prone to fight and sleeping around.

Francis spoke again "Gilbert, you will not know unless you try. And if she does indeed reject you, then you can at least live with knowing you tried. Your friendship should be just fine too, Liz seems like the sane type, she would understand."

Slowly Gil sighed and raised his head to look at the fire again. He could try…she might think he was joking though. What if she got mad?

No…

He had to try. Francis was right. If he never said anything then she might go and find someone to stand where he wanted to. He would lose his chance, he had waited long enough. He grinned a little "Alright, then Monday I will tell her."

Both his friends grinned and their party took a turn back to happy and carefree. Gil felt better as well.

Monday came a little faster than he truly wanted it too. He also slept in late and had to be woken by Ludwig, who was not too happy to be late.

Hurriedly Gil got dressed, in jeans and a red t-shirt hoodie and without eating grabbed his backpack and ran down to the car. Ludwig was sitting inside it glaring. Gil glared back "Calm your tits we aren't late yet."

Ludwig growled something Gil didn't catch, he started the car and whipped out of the driveway, speeding and barely making it to the school. If they ran they would just make first hour.

Ludwig bolted as soon as Gil stopped the car, and when he had it turned off Gil ran after him, locking it and stuffing the keys in his pocket. The hall ways were empty since they had just about a minute to the bell. Gil went skidding down the hallway and flung open his locker, grabbing his books. Liz wasn't there but he wasn't surprised. She wouldn't be late to class. He swore though. This was when he had planned to tell her…

He slammed his locker and spun around, and collided with a figure, knocking him to the ground.

From the hallway opposite Liz came running "Gil you're late!" she hissed

Gil didn't answer. He was busy staring at the boy he had knocked down. With those glasses, that mole, and those purple eyes. Gil snarled "Fucking Eldstein what are you doing here!"

Liz huffed and smacked Gil "That's impolite. His name is Roderich and he's a transfer student." Liz helped him up and he brushed his clothes off, he was wearing dress pants and a blue dress shirt with a tie. Prissy.

Roderich glared at him "Can't play soccer and doesn't have manners. I hope everyone here isn't like you." He growled

Gil ignored him and looked at Liz as the bell rang "Why aren't you in class?"

"I help transfer students find their way remember?"

Roderich had his schedule out and looked at it.

Liz smiled at him, and Gil didn't like the look in her eyes. Something wasn't right… "I have chemistry first hour, what do you have?" she asked pleasantly.

Roderich smiled at her and it made Gil's blood burn. "It seems we have chemistry together."

Gil thought that pun was going to make him physically sick but to his dismay Liz actually laughed at it and even worse, she blushed.

She set off with Roderich to chemistry, and left Gil in the hallway totally forgotten. That was their class together. It was when he really got to talk to her…

He felt like the air had been knocked out of his lungs. He just stared at the now empty hallway. Would Liz replace him with Roderich? From where he was standing it was looked like it. Any thoughts of telling her how he felt were gone now, just from the shock.

All too soon he would realize that he was far too late to tell her anything

**things are heating up in the fryingpangle! Stay tuned, update will be done next week. Please follow, favorite, and especially review, I like feedback and comments from everyone! **


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Gil shuffled to Chemistry and sat at his usual lab station. Liz sat by him, and Roderich was stuck in the back of the class next to Lars, who remembered Roderich very well. Not many people forget the opponent who messes up their knee.

Lars was an intimidating figure and it brought Gil just a shard of happiness to see Roderich was visibly uncomfortable being next to him.

Liz looked over at Gil when the teacher stopped talking and told them to work on some problems together. "Why are you late?"

He shrugged and looked down, opening up his text book. He didn't want to open his mouth, because he just may start to cry. He had come ready to tell Liz how he loved her and now, here she was shooting goo-goo eyes at the prick who had cost them a huge soccer game and laughing at his corny jokes.

It felt like a stab in the heart and he just couldn't find anything to say.

Liz really knew something was wrong too because Gil never actually took his book out and did his work, he usually talked to her and copied down everything she did. Liz was the only reason Gil was scraping his C+ in the class.

She didn't know what to say to him though so she just put her hand on his arm for a moment and started to work quietly.

When the bell rang Gil threw his book in his bag and stood up. He didn't even want to see his friends, he was about to just go home at this point.

Liz looked at him "Gil I have to show Roderich around…I…I'll see you by your locker ok?" she walked to the prissy little bitch and Gil stormed out.

Why was he so angry? Who cared if his soccer rival came to the school? Gil was captain, if Roderich joined next season Gil would have him playing the bench. And that was if he even tried to join. The rest of the team probably wouldn't have even let the idea form in Roderich's head.

So what was it? Gil just had this gut feeling that shit was about to hit the fan. He just felt like this prissy transfer student was about to fuck up his entire life. What made him scared was the last time he had this feeling in his stomach…his father had left him and Ludwig.

He didn't know what it meant, did it mean Liz would leave him finally? He could tell she was interested in Roderich. Maybe not romantically right now, but she had the look. The I-want-to-know-you look.

What made things worse was Roderich looked like his worst night mare. A classy, well dressed, possibly handsome, gentleman. He came from some preppy school, he wore a damn dress shirt to school, and he just acted proper. Gil was scared this punk was the guy Liz wanted.

Moodily Gil went to English and sat down. He threw his homework at his teacher and the look in his eyes was downright deadly. Both Francis and Antonio knew better than to even ask what was wrong. They would wait until lunch. They could tell their best friend was about three words from a total blow up.

He didn't hear a word of whatever his teacher droned on about in the class, and when the bell rang he was the first out of the door. He went to his locker to switch out his books and then he walked to the lunch room.

He saw Liz showing Roderich to his next class, they were walking a little too close together, she was laughing at some stupid joke he had probably told her. She was blushing and he was looking down at her with this face that made Gil sick. This only proved to darken his mood and he stormed into the lunch room, taking his usual seat but not getting anything to eat.

Francis and Antonio came and found him, sitting on either side of him. "What happened to you?" Francis asked, worried about his best friend.

So Gil explained what had happened and Antonio sighed a bit. Francis seemed to not be so disheartened. "Gil, everyone loves the new kid. She wouldn't leave you for him, I'm sure she just is like every girl, interested in the new boy. It'll go away, and then you can tell her how you feel." He usually gave good relationship advice, but this time it barely made him feel any better.

The two tried to talk about other things, trying to distract Gil from his thoughts and pain. It didn't work, and Gil just put his head down on the table.

When the bell rang he left, and he didn't bother going to his next class, he just went out to his car so he could be alone. He played the radio and tried to calm down all his feelings. He knew he would see Ludwig and Liz later, and both of them knew him too well. He had to calm down, he had to get to a perfect plastic state and hope it fooled them both.

When the final bell rang Gil slipped back into the school and waited by his locker for Liz. He was nervous, for a moment it seemed like she wasn't going to come. But then he saw her and his worry abated. She walked over with only Felica at her side, like any other day. He breathed easy and even managed a smile that wasn't totally fake.

"Gil!" she beamed and stood by him. Felica waved in her shy way too, looking around for Ludwig. No secret to him, Gil knew the small Italian girl was hot for his brother.

"How was your day?" he managed to ask her. So many feelings and words welled up inside him, he had to be really careful. She opened her mouth to talk but heard Felica talk so she held her finger up to her lips. Ludwig had walked over and started to talk to her.

Gil listened while pretending to talk to Liz, not that either one of them noticed anything. No, they were too busy being lost in each other's eyes and other gross romantic stuff. Felica invited Ludwig to come over so they could study for a test. Gil smirked and laughed a bit. Whenever he went to a girl's house to study for a test…well there was a lot of other kind of studying going on.

Ludwig agreed of course and Gil looked at him and nodded, and the two walked off to Felica's car.

Liz looked back to Gil, her undivided attention on him. "So should I come over, we can do our Chemistry homework."

He laughed a bit, feeling better. Her company did things to him. She calmed him when he was angry, made him happy when he was sad, and found him when he was lost. She was a high he never wanted to come down from, because when he was alone, that's when he would hurt again and worry more.

"Yeah, come on, you can do my Chemistry homework." He grinned, his crooked little grin.

They walked out together and got into his car. He started to pull out of the parking space and he looked at her. "So how was showing around the new kid?"

She launched into one of her excited rants. She started to talk with her hands, her voice was a little higher and she talked faster. Usually this kind of talk was reserved for talking about the school dance, a cute couple who just started dating, or puppies.

So the fact she was this excited about talking about Roderich, was not a reassurance to him. He listened to her however.

"Gil, he's so nice! He's really smart too, he's got all the advanced classes and he even said he was president of his other school's student council! He's really sweet too, and did you see how nicely he was dressed? I love boys who dress up." And she went on, talking about the jokes he made, how polite he was. How he held open the door for her, and thanked her each time she dropped him off at a class. Liz wasn't just interested in this boy. Francis was wrong, Gil knew her. She was excited, she was gushing, and she was infatuated with Roderich.

And that was awful news to him.

With each sentence he sounded more and more like her dream boy, and the more she talked the more he could see how different he was from Roderich. She never talked about him like this. He never dressed up or held open doors.

He stopped listening and focused on the road before he broke his nice little fake happy look.

They pulled into his driveway and got out of the car. He locked the doors and opened up the house's front door and walked in first, like he always did. He wasn't going to change to try and impress her.

They sat down on the couch near each other and Gil grinned, seeing a chance to change the topic.

"So, Felica took Luddy home huh?"

Liz grinned "She told me at lunch that she has the biggest crush on him. I think it could work out, Ludwig seemed like he was pretty excited to go to her house."

Gil snickered "Liz, any guy is always thrilled to go to a girl's house."

She whacked his arm "I swear Gil, for once could a conversation not led to something sexual?"

He huffed and childishly muttered "You started it."

She rolled her eyes at him but carried on "So do you think Ludwig likes her back? We could set them up! Gil they would be so cute together! Ah they could go to prom together!" she clapped her hands and grinned with excitement. Felica was older than Ludwig by a year, she could very well take him to prom.

He shrugged "I'll drag out an answer later, just for you." He smiled and with a burst of courage went on "Who are you taking to prom?" he had a teasing tone, so it seemed like a very normal interaction between them.

She blushed anyway and looked away from his face "I don't know yet, it's still so far away."

Gil didn't ask why she wanted to hook up her friend and his brother from prom already if she deemed it too far away to pick someone yet. He let it go and took out his Chemistry homework. "So Liz, want to help me pass this test?"

For the next few hours they did homework, talked, teased, and snacked. Gil's heart ached, it was like he was so close to being her boyfriend, but he was just out of reach. This is what couples did, and here they were doing it, but it wasn't the same. He couldn't lean over and kiss her. He couldn't compliment how damn smart she was, or even stare when the sun hit her face and illuminated it in the most stunning way.

When it was dark out the door opened and Ludwig walked in, he looked at Liz and said "Felica said she would drive you home if you were still here."

Liz grabbed her books and smiled at Gil and walked past Ludwig, giving him a wink that made him blush, and she walked out to her best friend's car.

Ludwig walked over and sat by Gil. Gil could tell something was up with his little brother. Ludwig was usually very adamant about coming home and doing his homework before he even spoke to his brother.

"So how was Felica's?" Gil asked, looking at the side of his younger brother's face.

Ludwig stared ahead, a flush rising to his cheeks. "Gil…I…I think I like her." He said it in such a lost and confused way.

Gil smiled softly and pat his shoulder, getting the details slowly from Ludwig.

They had gone over, he had met her sister and her grandfather, and he went and studied with her in the room. Before Gil could butt in, he hastily added with the door open. Then he said that they barely studied at all, and they talked for hours.

Ludwig met his brother's eyes, with a dreamy look of a smitten boy. "Gil she's so pretty…and we like so many of the same things…and she…" he gazed off wistfully.

Liz would be thrilled to hear this. Gil smiled and like a good big brother nudged him. "Ask her out." He said

Ludwig jumped like he had been doused in cold water. "What?!"

Gil laughed and looked at him. "Am I speaking German? Ludwig ask her out! She invited you over, I'd bet that right now she's gushing to her sister about you just like you're doing to me."

Ludwig muttered "No, she's driving Liz home."

Gil exhaled and glared for a moment "Ludwig that girl is nuts about you, grow a pair and ask her out before somebody does before you. Would you rather fail and know you tried, or watch her date someone else and wonder what if?"

Ludwig thought about it and looked at his brother again. "I…I guess I would rather get rejected…than never try."

Gil stood up and messed up his hair "Well, you better come up with a plan to ask her out then." He grinned and walked into his room, smile fading once the door was closed.

Maybe if he had taken his own damn advice a week earlier he wouldn't have to worry about Roderich. Gil lay on his bed on his back for another hour or so, brooding for a bit before he fell asleep with the light on.

**Well there's 4, chapter 5 is going to be...well you'll see. At least Ludwig's happy right? **

**Please follow favorite and review! **


	5. Chapter 5

H

Chapter 5

Come the morning Gil drove to school like usual. Ludwig was a pleasant shade of green, clutching a bouquet so tightly Gil was pretty sure Ludwig was trying to strangle to life out of them.

Gil parked and got from the car, and Ludwig was still sitting there with his eyes wide, clutching the flowers, the green intensifying.

"Out of the car Luddy. Come on, she's not a monster, she's a pretty girl."

Ludwig looked at his brother with a face that could only imply he rather face a monster than Felica. Gil hauled his little brother out of the car and into the building. He went to Liz's locker with Ludwig, knowing that Felica was usually there.

Walking up, Ludwig saw Felica and dropped from green to deathly white and tried to book it in the opposite direction, but Gil firmly steered him the right way.

Ludwig stumbled forward but managed to talk to Felica and with much blushing and stammering, ask her out.

Gil leaned on the locker while Liz squealed with excitement. Felica said yes and she hugged Ludwig.

Gil laughed, his poor little brother looked like he was going to faint. When the two left, Gil looked at Liz. "So I talked to him, he was crazy about her."

Liz nodded "The entire way home all she could do was gush about him and…" Liz blushed and looked down.

"She had more to say than just about Ludwig?"

She shook her head quickly. "Come on Gil, we best get to class." And she walked off quickly without waiting for him. She had even left her locker open.

He went to close it when a piece of paper fell out. He went to stuff it back in but he noticed that it was folded like a note and had her name on it. It was creased like she had opened and closed it many times already.

He didn't want to pry, but he flipped it over and his heart dropped like a brick. The only thing he bothered to look at was that it was signed, love Roderich.

The slime ball had written her a love note. Now that he saw who it was from he couldn't leave it well enough alone. He took out his phone a snapped a picture of it, then tossed it back in her locker and slammed it shut, walking off to Chemistry in a very poor mood.

His mood only darkened as he recalled they had a quiz today, which he of course failed miserably. He knew he had failed even before he turned it in.

He hurried to English, not because he loved the class, but because he needed to show his two best friends the note.

Once he sat down Gil slipped his phone to Francis, who stuffed it in the textbook and pretended to read, while he scrolled through the picture and read Roderich's note instead.

Francis cringed a bit "He is…quite the romantic…" he said quietly. The love note was like an entire Hallmark card collection had thrown up its most cheesy sappy cards and mashed it together into one revolting note.

Francis was actually quite the romantic himself and he had no objections to the note, but knowing what it meant for his best friend, he acted grossed out by it too. "Over kill, I don't think Liz would like it. Don't you think it's too much for her?"

Antonio stole the phone and read it quietly before slipping it back to Gil. "He doesn't have the guts to say it to her face. It's only a note, what are pretty words next to brave actions?" he was really trying to be positive. If someone had given a note like that to Lovino, Antonio would have…shown them how they were mistaken. No doubt they would've been bleeding.

Gil was at his breaking point. Francis leaned in and whispered, since the teacher was walking by. "Why don't you speak to him? He claims to be a gentleman right? Tell him politely to back off."

Gil thought about it, but before he could answer their teacher scolded them for talking and they broke off to do their work.

Gil liked the idea of trying to get Roderich to back off, so after class he walked to the lunch room, knowing he usually passed Roderich there. And luckily, Liz was not on his arm. He grabbed Roderich and steered him down the hallway, into a corner.

The dark haired boy scowled and re adjusted his shirt and glasses. "What on Earth do you want?"

Gil crossed his arms and looked right into his violet eyes. "Back off Liz. I was here first. I…I like her. I love her." It was strange to hear his own voice say thought out loud. Roderich didn't seem impressed.

"Then it seems that you waited too long. Maybe you should have spoken up before I was here. Seeing that you failed, you clearly don't love her enough to get over your own ego and cowardice. So I will not back off. You may watch me win her heart and die in envy each time you see us together, and I hope you remember this conversation Gilbert. I hope you remembered that you delayed too long and a better man took your place."

With that, Roderich turned to walk to his next class but Gil had lost his patience. He grabbed his arm and spun his around, and with all his power swung and hit Roderich in the face with a vicious right hook. Gil had been in many fights, but he was pretty sure he had never hit somebody that hard. He sent Roderich stumbling back and into the cement wall, and with some satisfaction he saw he had cut the inside of his cheek. Roderich held his face and spit out blood. He'd have a nasty bruise for several days and his jaw would probably be sore too. Gil was considering taking a kick to his face but the prissy had actually stood up and came at Gil again.

Roderich had clearly never been in a fight in his life, because when he swung Gil easily stepped to the side, and then he swung again, connecting this time with the nose. He broke Roderich's glasses and based on the torrent of blood and the scream, probably his nose as well.

By now the fight was clearly over. Gil's fist hurt and had a shard of Roderich's glasses in them, and Roderich was not in a hurry to get back up again. Nobody had heard him scream and nobody was coming. Gil scowled down at him. "It's your fault. I came like a gentleman, you decided to give me lip. So you get a busted lip." He walked off to the bathroom and texed with his left hand, asking Francis to come from lunch to help him out.

In a few minutes both Antonio and Francis came, they looked at Gil's hand, which was thrust under the running water. He was bleeding and had the glass shard still in his hand. It was in the space between his knuckles of his middle and index finger. He hadn't unclenched his fist for that very reason.

Antonio sighed "I thought you were just going to talk to him."

"I did talk to him." Gil snarled at him "Now will somebody please get this out of my hand?"

Francis had tweezers and Gil wasn't even going to ask why. He really didn't want to hear about how important perfectly groomed eyebrows were, again.

Francis held his wrist and gripped the glass and pulled it out successfully. Antonio offered up some gauze and tape, which had had in his backpack from the soccer season.

While Antonio stopped his hand from bleeding all over the place, Gil explained everything that happened.

Francis shook his head, knowing just how pleased Liz would be to hear Gil bloodied up the guy who was writing her love letters.

The answer was not very pleased.

Antonio finished with his hand and said that Roderich hadn't been in the hall when they walked down, and the blood had been cleaned up.

That put Gil's nerves at some ease. He really didn't want to be suspended or expelled, that would have just been a pain in the ass and he didn't want to deal with that. It seemed like they may have taught some manners at whatever hellhole Roderich came from. No whining about fights, take it like a man. For that, Gil almost liked a single molecule of him, but then the rage came and he went back to hating every fiber of the freak.

Francis looked at the time on his phone. "We should leave and get to our next classes. Gil you…might want to find Liz and tell her the story before he gets there."

Gil figured he was probably right. Liz liked getting the stories first before the rumors would spread. So he went to go see her, he walked up the stairs and leaned against her locker, knowing she would come to it by the end of her class.

Gil only had to wait a few minutes before the bell rang and she walked over. Usually he wasn't there, so his presence was a red flag. Liz wondered what he could have possibly done this time. She had a gnawing worry that he may have found something out. They had no secrets. Well the used to have no secrets from each other…she had kind of kept quiet about some things recently.

"What is it Gil?' she asked when she got close. She noticed his wrapped up hand and the pained expression on his face. "Did you get in another fight?" she demanded.

He looked down sheepishly "Well I did punch a kid in the face. Twice. But it wasn't really a fight since it wasn't very challenging…" he smirked a bit

Liz gave him a harsh glare and he could tell right then she was not about to take this very well.

"I punched Roderich. I broke his glasses, and the glass was in my hand." He just said it to get it over with.

Her eyes burned intensely and that was one of the few times Gil was actually a little worried about her hurting him. She might have been smaller than him but she could pack a hell of a punch when she wanted. He knew that first hand.

She didn't have anything to say for a long while. The bell rang but she didn't seem in a hurry to make it to her next class. Finally she looked at him and said in a small voice "Gil that was really awful of you."

Then she turned and walked away, going down the hall and rounding a corner, leaving him all alone.

He hung his head a bit. His stomach twisted and his heart felt heavy. She was beyond angry at him. Not angry enough to ruin their friendship thankfully, but angry enough where she wouldn't speak to him for a few days.

That wasn't the worst of it though. He knew that she, without a single doubt, liked Roderich back.

He knew he had won the physical fight, but he had lost the prize. He had lost what he really wanted, and now he knew in a short time, Roderich would have it.

Without even knowing, Liz broke Gil's heart. She picked another guy without knowing her best friend was hopelessly in love with her. Gil hung his head and sighed, walking away slowly to his next class. No surprise he got yelled at for being late and he took it quietly for once. He felt numb all over and hollow. He didn't pay attention to anything else all day, he didn't hear anything. Gil was totally destroyed and he just wanted to go home and be alone, where he could break down without consequence.

Gil got to his car quickly after the final bell, he barely waited for Ludwig. Felica drove Liz home too, of course she had heard the story already. Girls were really damn quick with spreading the news around.

Ludwig was real quiet when he sat down in the car. Gil drove home, in no mood to try and break the silence.

This day took number one on his worst day ever list thus far.

**Aha I am evil! Sorry (not really) don't worry it only gets worse! But never fear, it's not near over yet!**

**Please follow, favorite and review! I want to know your thoughts and feelings!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Well this might be a bit of a feels trip. Enjoy~**

Chapter 6

Ludwig actually broke the silence. The two brothers were very close, after all they only had each other. Ludwig might try to avoid Gil at school, but he still thought he had the greatest big brother ever. He just didn't want to be seen as a delinquent like Gil, and Gil understood that.

"What happened Gil?" he asked as they drove.

Gil's hands were throttling the poor wheel but his voice was steady enough. He looked at Ludwig then back at the road. "Tell me the story you heard."

Ludwig looked straight out the windshield "Well Felica came to me after school and told me Liz was really ticked at you. She said Liz had been crying and missed her last class. Then she said she saw Roderich, and his face was pretty messed up still. I guess he and Liz traded numbers…" Ludwig shifted uncomfortably. He didn't really want to be the bearer of bad news for his brother.

Gil blew a stop sign on accident and continued to choke the steering wheel. "So, she's pissed at me and she's now got Roderich's phone number. Great. And she went home with Felica so they can talk about how awful I am, and how she wants to date Roderich?"

Ludwig frowned and bit his lip "Well…I don't know what they're going to talk about. But…I'm sure everyone is talking about the fight. You broke his glasses and messed up his nose, I think the entire school knows by now." Ludwig paused and looked over "Gil you should loosen up a bit, your hand is bleeding again."

Gil growled something in German that Ludwig didn't catch and drove the rest of the way home in silence. He pulled into the drive and got out. Once inside he stopped and looked at his brother.

Ludwig looked back at him and sighed, shutting the door and walking closer. Sure they were two very tough guys, but when it was just them they could get sentimental. Ludwig hugged his brother and tried to say something comforting. He knew his brother even better than Liz did. They really had no secrets. They were as co-dependent on each other as the Winchester brothers.

Gil hugged him back and grumbled "We're never talking about this ever again."

Ludwig laughed a bit "Never."

In a moment Gil patted his brother's back and they broke apart. Gil's eyes were red, not iris red, crying red. He didn't want to lose Liz and yet here he was utterly helpless to do anything else.

A week or so went by and Liz gave Gil the cold shoulder. He didn't see her besides for Chemistry, and she had made it clear she wasn't talking to him in that class. His grade slipped from a C to a D, and they slipped in other classes to. Liz had really helped him with his school work, even if she thought she didn't. Francis and Antonio were the greatest friends any heartbroken boy could ask for, but even they couldn't lift up his spirits. Ludwig and Francis supplied Gil with all the information he usually got from Liz.

Ludwig got the best information, dating Felica made him subject to the girl's gossip circle, which made Francis really jealous.

The worst came true for Gil. He knew it all along but he still had a strange ray of hope that maybe Roderich would so something stupid and Liz wouldn't like him.

But Ludwig came to the car in a somber mood and told Gil the news. Roderich had called Liz the night before, and they had a date tonight. Felica had been really excited for her best friend, and Ludwig had acted happy too. It hurt him a bit to know his big brother's heart was about to get shattered.

Gil was really quiet the whole car ride home. It wasn't a surprise to him, but it still hurt more than he had expected. It was like something had squeezed his lungs and heart and then stomped on his chest. He felt deflated.

When he felt like this, the first person he went to was Liz. She was his best friend, she was his vent outlet. She would never judge him for his feelings, she was ok with him crying into her. She understood that even tough guys cry, and she still knew Gil was a strong boy. They had bonded so tightly when Gil had broken apart when his dad left. Gil didn't even know how to handle a crisis without her at his side.

It was like someone threw him into battle but forgot to give his armor or a weapon.

But when he didn't have armor or a weapon, he had something else.

Gil walked into the kitchen and got down a bottle of alcohol. He wasn't really sure what it was, it was a bottle their father had in the liquor cabinet, one of the many he had left behind when he left his boys.

Ludwig wasn't around to see, so Gil took the bottle into his room and shut the door. It was strangely nostalgic, hiding in his room with a bottle of something strong. He had done this before, he had done it when his father had left him with the house, bills, and total responsibility for Ludwig.

For a teenage boy, it was too much to handle. Gil hadn't taken care of his stress in the best of ways either. He was strong for Ludwig, but behind closed doors he drank himself into paradise.

And right now, with the intense pain in his heart, and a loss so great it felt like the world was collapsing. His world was crumbling away and he didn't have someone to catch him.

This wasn't a stress that belonged to Ludwig, Gil wouldn't hurt him. Francis and Antonio were great friends but they just didn't know some things. They didn't know everything that Liz did.

Liz was who he wanted, who he needed. At this point it wasn't even as his girlfriend, he needed his best friend. Gil was seeing he'd rather have her in his life as his friend than not have her at all.

With the depression crushing and strangling the hope out of him, Gil raised the open bottle to his lips and drank himself into a numbness.

He drank half the bottle, it was something strong like a whiskey. The label was old and peeling off, to faded to read. But he didn't need a label to know it was probably over 100 proof.

He drank so much he made himself sick. He stowed away the bottle and passed out around midnight. He woke up, thankfully, but he promptly felt nauseous and ran to the bathroom and puked. The alcohol stung even worse on its way back out.

He wasn't just hung over, he was sick. He had drank way too much and he was probably borderline alcohol poisoning again.

He felt awful, now with the happy buzz gone he felt all the pain about Liz and Roderich tenfold. Hel felt like someone was twisting a knife in his chest and then poking him with a branding iron, right on his heart.

Ludwig lingered in the bathroom doorway. He remembered Gil's problem. They didn't talk about it, it was one of the off limits conversations. Both brothers were content about never talking about their father. They quietly accepted the checks they got and otherwise forgot the man existed. Ludwig found it hard to forget Gil's problem though. He had nearly lost his brother to alcohol poisoning, and if Liz hadn't shown up in time…Ludwig didn't like to think about it. Liz had gotten to Gil, and maybe fear and guilt did too, Ludwig didn't care what changed him he was just happy his brother had quit drinking. Ludwig had never been able to persuade him otherwise. Ludwig was in fact pretty useless to Gil right now. It worried him greatly to see how sick his brother was, and he couldn't very well leave him alone.

Ludwig knew who his brother needed and it wasn't him. He snuck away and got his phone, calling Liz.

She answered while she ate her breakfast. "Ludwig?" she asked in a surprised tone. The younger brother never called her

Ludwig's voice trembled slightly "Liz…Gil's sick. I think…well it's like…you know." He left it at that. Liz remembered as clearly as Ludwig did, those nights where Gil was lost to the demon drink.

She slowly put down her cereal spoon. "Oh…" she frowned and worry knotted in her stomach. Gil might have pissed her off by punching Roderich but she stilled cared a great deal for him. He was her best friend, even before Felica or any of the girls.

"Ludwig go to school, I'll come over. He won't be alone…"

Ludwig was pretty sure Liz missed the whole 'Gil probably drank himself stupid because your dating another guy' but he was at least happy she was coming over. She could get to him, and maybe the two would reconcile as well. He left and Gil stayed on the bathroom floor, his cheeks flushed, stomach churning, and head pounding.

Liz crept over through the open door and walked through the house coming to the bathroom. She looked down at Gil and for the first time in a week and a half spoke to him.

"Gil what did you do?" her voice was soft and so concerned it ripped Gil's heart worse than barb wire.

"I…It's the stomach flu." He lied

Liz sat near him, leaning against the cabinet under the sink. Gil groaned "How romantic this is."

Liz shook her head "Now isn't the time for your jokes Gil."

He sighed and only said "I know."

He got sick several more times but by noon he was better. She had scolded him for the drinking and taken away the bottle. He felt guilty about scaring her and Ludwig…again.

Later they relocated to the family room and he was laying on the couch, his head propped on a pillow which leaned against her leg. She looked down at Gil and said "Tell me the truth Gil."

Slowly he sighed and told her how he felt. Well, he mostly told her how he felt.

"I got angry at Roderich I guess, he's just so unlike me. We're like two halves of sandpaper Liz, we are going to rub, there's going to be serious friction. He just got to me in a bad mood and you know how often I get into fights. This time it just happened to be a boy you liked…" Gil sopped there before he broke to pieces.

Liz shook her head "I'm not asking about the fight Gil."

He closed his eyes and was quiet for a while. "I can't stand…" he nearly said 'you dating him' but he caught himself. "I can't stand the cold shoulder. It's been a really hard month, my grades are falling and I just need you. And when I needed you, well you took the guy I hate most side. And Liz it hurt me…I don't know how to handle that kind of pain without…well without you. Ludwig, Francis, Antonio, they're all great but…I just, prefer you. You're my best friend. Please. Please don't lock me out again." He pleaded, emotions swelling up inside him. This isn't what he wanted to say. He wanted to scream how he loved her; he wanted to howl his agony out until he was empty, so he could start all over.

But something in her face kept him in check. She really was into Roderich, and if he was a good friend then he wouldn't give her hell. If he really was her best friend, then he would be quiet about it and support her. For years she had wanted this dream boy and now she thought she found it, and well, Gil wasn't that selfish.

Liz leaned down so Gil sat up, and she hugged him tightly.

She felt like the world's worst best friend. She knew Gil was too tough of a guy to go whine to his friends about his problems. She knew Gil talked about it but she knew that the depth wasn't the same. She knew Gil better. She knew his ways.

She should have known better than to shut Gil out when he had been acting funny these past few weeks, and she had. And Gil had nearly given himself alcohol poisoning again, and Liz didn't want to repeat those days.

"I won't shut you out, I promise Gil." she squeezed him gently.

He choked a bit, trying to keep it together as he hugged her back.

It hurt to be reconciled with her. He had back his best friend, but now he had to sit back and watch the girl he loved date a guy he hated. To avoid another cold shoulder, Gil knew he had to keep his mouth shut. To make Liz happy, he had to act happy for her. He had to accept she liked someone else no matter how bad it hurt.

When she pulled away he smiled at her, his mind resolved.

"Best friends?" he asked

She grinned and sealed his fate. "Best friends."

Never again would Gil fight Roderich. Now he would be happy for Liz he wouldn't be selfish, and he would watch her be happy with another. That's what best friends did after all.

**well how was that? *whoops I just sunk my own ship* **

**Please follow favorite and review? I'd love to hear all your thoughts about this one! **


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry this took longer than usual, had the ACT to take. It was not fun. Anyway here we go! **

Chapter 7

The next few weeks were not a fun time for Gil. He constantly had a vile taste in his mouth and anger brimmed and simmered just under the surface. He was like a tea kettle, boiling inside the pressure getting unbearable. Pretty soon it'd get too hot and he'd explode.

But he couldn't explode. He had promised Liz he'd behave. He had promised Liz he would be a good friend. He had promised himself not to hurt her.

Gil was starting to worry he had made some promises he couldn't keep.

He was sitting with Liz in Chemistry and they were working on a lab, which meant they had tons of time to talk.

"How was your weekend?" he asked her, playing around with the copper wires they had.

She smacked his hand and took the wire, basically doing the lab herself. Gil had no clue what was even going on in this class anymore so he just watched and tried to understand.

"It was good, I went shopping with Felica. Oh Gil, you should hear how she gushes about Ludwig. They saw each other Friday night, and she said he brought her chocolates! He's such a sweetie inside."

Gil smiled a little "Hey, tough guys can be great romantics. Ludwig really likes her too. When he came home after their date, he looked like he was high. He was walking around the house with this lost look on his face and a smear of lipstick on his cheek. I finally made him sit down before he floated away to Cloud Nine."

Liz rolled her eyes "I hope you don't tease him too bad. This is his first real girlfriend isn't it?"

Gil nodded, now playing with some iron shavings. "The first one he's crazy about." He dropped some of the shavings into their acid and watched it fizz.

"How about your love life?"

Liz tensed a bit. They hadn't agreed on what should be off limits or not. Since he asked, she decided it was safe to talk about her date with Roderich. She was careful though, watching his face for anything that was unusual. She really didn't want to cause a problem. Truthfully, the few days she was cold to him had been pretty lonely for her as well. This friendship was a lot of work, but it was worth preserving.

"We went out to a dinner, just the local diner."

Gil smirked "Oh come on Liz, that's hardly an explanation. How am I supposed to give Ludwig tips about being the dream boyfriend when you won't give me the details of Wonder Bread."

Liz arched her eyebrow "I think you mean Wonder Boy…"

Gil shrugged. "So, tell me. You always told me about your dates in detail, why stop now?"

Liz wasn't sure why she was being so careful. Gil was normal again from what she could tell. He did usually listen to her talk about any dates she had with the nobody guys who struck out on their one shot with her.

"Doesn't Francis usually handle the romance department for guys?" she asked

Gil snorted, nearly knocking their hydrochloric acid over. "Well Francis believes he should keep sending roses to Arthur along with some filthy poems. That's been his tactic for nearly a year and it hasn't worked yet, so don't mind me trying for a second opinion. Plus it benefits Ludwig and Felica."

She moved the acid away from Gil. The last thing he needed was an acid bath with his already overly sensitive alabaster skin.

"Well he picked me up in his car. He drove over and I told him to stay in the car, and I came out. But he insisted on opening the door for me." Gil nodded, listening to her. She usually told guys to stay in their cars. She wouldn't tell her parents she was dating until at least date five, when she knew they guy was a solid character. She'd just say she was going out with friends. Gil thought it was good she hadn't yet shown them Roderich. Maybe Liz still had some doubts about him.

"We drove to the diner and he got out and opened the door again. Oh and he let me change his radio station too. Inside he got us a table and we sat and talked. He was really nice, he made it clear I could order anything. You know how I hate being pressured into eating a salad or something lady like."

Gil laughed a bit. Once a football player took her on a date and made a comment about her eating a burger and not a salad. And well, that was the end of him. She had walked out of the place and Gil had to pick her up off the side of the road.

She went on, "We talked about school and our friends, he's getting along really well with some of the boys in his music classes. He plays the piano you know? It's really beautiful, he showed me a video of him playing."

Liz went on about Roderich; how cute his glasses were, how sweet he was, how he was the perfect gentleman, and all around the dream boy she had always wanted. It hurt Gil, to hear the things he already knew were true. It hurt so see that she was perfectly happy in the arms of a man that wasn't him. It steeled his resolve however, he wouldn't do anything to break them up. She deserved her happiness.

She finished her story about Roderich and then asked him how his weekend was. Truthfully, Gil had done nothing productive and he had pretty much sulked and nursed away his heartbreak by binge watching Dance Moms. The drama and the crazy woman were a guilty pleasure of his.

So instead of admitting that, he poured in a tube of some chemical into their beaker and said "I just slept in and relaxed, tried to zone in for the week." He grinned and looked at her "I saw that that horror movie we wanted to see is out. I can get it for us! Do you want to watch it together still or…" he trailed off. She was his movie buddy, he'd really hate to have to stop that activity with her.

But she surprised him with a smile "I'll tell Felica to leave without me and we can go to your house and watch it." She winked at him and he had a strong rise of hope fill his chest. He hadn't lost his movie buddy. He hadn't lost her entirely.

"We can swap. I take you, she takes Luddy." He stuck the final part of their mixture together and for once it turned the color it was supposed to.

"Perfect." She said, recording the last of the data just as the final bell rang.

He stood up and grinned one last time before walking out. However she didn't wait for Roderich like he had thought, she walked out with him.

He smiled slightly and she grinned "What's with that look?" she asked

He shrugged it off and said "Nothing."

He wished he could look behind him and see the dark haired boy's face. Gil was sure that Roderich wasn't very pleased about being left by his girlfriend, and even more unpleased to see her leaving with the boy who punched him in the face.

They made small talk before they split off in other directions to go to their different classes.

Come the end of the day, Gil was waiting for Liz at his locker like the old days. Ludwig was waiting by him as well, knowing Felica was like Liz's shadow.

When the two girls rounded the corner they were chatting happily, giggling and laughing like girls did. Ludwig blushed and smiled seeing his new girlfriend, and he walked over to her and he even took her hand as they walked out the school doors together.

Gil smiled slightly, he was glad his brother was happy. And he was thrilled he got to have Liz over at his house, all to himself, like the good old days.

She smiled at Gil, with that bright easy happiness she always seemed to possess. "They're so cute together." She said with a dreamy sigh

Gil faked gaged "Is that all you two talk about? You sigh over each other's love lives and then read Nicholas Sparks together?"

Liz glared at him, but her lips still curled in a smile. "You know that I hate those books."

"But you read them"

"Every girl has read one at least once."

"You made me watch The Notebook and Dear John."

"I recall you tearing up during The Notebook too." She said, shoving him lightly

They started to walk out together, nearly in the same fashion as Ludwig and Felica, minus the hand holding. They looked and sounded like a couple, and Gil was sure that people thought they were together sometimes.

"Well today we are going to watch the Conjuring so no worries. I won't be tearing up." He grinned and unlocked his car, and they got in together.

Gil couldn't help but note how beautiful she looked today. She just had jeans and a blouse but she had just managed to work it so well. The jeans fit her great, the shirt was loose and white, and she had worn a gold colored bracelet. The way her hair fell freely down her back in tendrils really gave her the look of some Greek goddess.

He looked away quickly and drove them over to his house. She walked in before him, which great familiarity. He smiled, dumped his backpack and got the movie.

She had walked into the kitchen to get them both drinks and snacks, and possibly even check to make sure Gil hadn't opened any other bottles of alcohol.

He drew the blinds closed to make the room darker and he got the movie rolling just as she walked in and set everything down. They didn't sit on top of each other by any means, but they didn't sit on totally opposite ends of the couch either. They were close enough that their arms sometimes brushed when they moved to drink or eat.

All went well, they enjoyed the movie together. They didn't talk to each other, but sometimes Liz jumped slightly and even once or twice Gil flinched. No screaming however, Liz wasn't a sissy.

The one disturbance came near the end of the movie. Gil had been pretty sure that he had heard a phone buzz many times during the moive, but Liz either didn't hear or ignored it, and so he did the same.

Though this time she growled "Pause it."

Gil raised his eyebrow and did as she asked, and Liz got up and got his phone from her backback. Then she glanced over her shoulder at Gil. "I'll be right back, I have to call someone." She opened his front door and stood on the step. The door hadn't closed firmly and Gil chose not to shut it all the way. He watched, wondering who it could be. She seemed pretty irritated at whoever it was.

It didn't take him long to figure out who it was. Liz started to yell on the phone.

"Roderich! Why is it such a struggle for you to be alone? I told you before I was going to a friend's house!"

There was a pause and she yelled again "I don't have to tell you whose house it is! I'm allowed to keep all the friends I had before I was dating you, and that includes guy friends like Gil!"

So Roderich was ticked off that Liz had gone to another guy's house. Well actually he was probably mostly ticked that is was Gil's house, since Roderich knew Gil liked Liz as well.

He felt threatened. Good.

There was more yelling "I will stay here! He's my best friend Roderich! Boyfriends have come and gone, but he's always been here. And I will always be there for him too, so either you get used to that fact real quick or _you_ won't be around much longer!"

Gil's chest swelled with hope and even pride. She would yell at her dream boyfriend for him. She would fight with him for Gil. She would fight to spend time with her best friend, even if that best friend was a guy.

Gil admired how she worded her threat too. It was similar in the way he had gotten himself in this mess. She pinned him up against the wall with two options Roderich didn't like; losing her, or letting her spend time with his greatest adversary. Naturally, Roderich would take the lesser of the evils, and he'd never voice again a complaint about her seeing Gil, in fear of losing her.

Which ironically, was the same exact thing Gil did. Gil had feared losing her as a friend so much that he would put up with her dating another guy, his greatest adversary, in silence.

Funny, how that was the similarity both boys shared.

And, even stranger that is what made them the most different. Gil had inflicted this vow of silence on himself to keep Liz. Liz had to force the matter in Roderich's face for him to choose.

While he was lost in his thoughts, the call ended and Liz came back inside. Gil grinned, acting like he hadn't heard a thing. "Damn Liz, can't we get through a movie without interruptions?" he had his trademark smirk and a heavy dripping sarcasm in his voice.

She just rolled her eyes and sat down, and he played the movie. She was quiet now, and Gil could tell she was upset. Instead of saying anything, he lifted his arm.

And Liz moved closer, slipping under it, and allowing him to hold her.

**Praise the ship that will not sink! I hope this makes up for your feels on the last chapter. **

**Like usual, please follow, favorite, and review. Come on, I love that feed back and hearing your thoughts! **


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The movie ended in just another half hour and he wasn't happy, because it meant he had to let her go.

Liz also was mildly upset the movie was over. She had been greatly comforted by Gil. He was always sweet and caring, he looked out for her. He just knew when things were bothering her, and he knew when not to ask.

It bothered her that she was so willing to curl against Gil. She should be more concerned about what that implied. Liz didn't want to be giving Gil mixed signals. She was still with Roderich.

But once again, like the good friend he was, Gil made the move. He removed his arm without a word and got up, turning off the movie and the TV. He looked back at her.

"Do you want to talk about it? Or throw stuff? Or talk about it and then throw stuff at whoever was on the phone?"

She laughed weakly and got up. "No, I think I'm ok now. Thank you…"

Gil grinned with only a hint of sadness in his eyes. "Hey, that's what best friends do right?"

Before she could answer, a car pulled into the driveway. Liz pulled up the blinds and smiled "Oh, its Felica dropping off Ludwig. I can get a ride home with her. Good bye Gil."

She opened the door and walked out, and Ludwig came in and shot a glance at his brother. The door closed and the car pulled away, leaving Gil to sigh. "Good bye…Liz."

"So, what did you and Liz do?"

Gil took a moment to answer his brother, and told him about the movie and then the call he overheard.

"I'll ask Felica tomorrow if she heard anything else of interest from Liz."

Gil smiled a bit and nodded "Who knew that your relationship would turn out into a well of important gossip information."

Ludwig shrugged and smiled a bit and went off to do his homework.

The following day Gil got the rundown at the end of the day. Ludwig had gotten the news fresh from Felica at lunch.

So when the brothers got in their car and Gil started to drive, Ludwig explained everything.

"So Liz ranted angrily in the car the entire way home about how Roderich was too up in her business and too jealous and demanding and over controlling. Felica said that she thought Roderich was just too good to be true, and that maybe his flaw was that he was easily made jealous, or that he liked being a controlling boyfriend. Felica is Team Gil, so I think she is trying to be both a supportive friend, but also trying to shake Liz off that guy."

Gil turned "Did you say 'Team Gil'?"

Ludwig blushed "Yeah…the girls…they've all figured out your nuts for Liz."

"I AM NOT NUTS FOR HER."

"Sure. But anyway, the girls who are friends with Liz. They've picked sides. Like with the Hunger Games! They're team Roderich or Team Gil. I think that team you consist of Francis, Felica, and two other girls I don't think you know. I would assume that Antonio is also on your side."

Gil thought that the steering wheel had never looked like a nicer place to face plant into. As if his love life didn't have enough problems, now he had Roderich, and Team Roderich to compete with.

But to save his mood and make sure Ludwig didn't feel bad for sharing the information he joked "I hope you're not Team Roderich because then you get to walk home."

Ludwig's worry faded and he smiled slightly. "Team Gil all the way."

After a moment of silence Ludwig added "I think Liz is going to see Roderich. So either they're going to fight and break up, or he's going to have to have one really good apology."

"Make sure you get the outcome of that for me."

Ludwig laughed a little "I feel like I'm a private detective. The gossip detective."

Gil parked the car and smiled a bit. "Don't repeat that to Francis, he's going to get jealous."

Gil would have liked to say that he attempted to do all his homework and make dinner without desperately wondering what the outcome of Liz and Roderich's meeting would be. He'd really like to say that he wasn't so distracted that he tried to fry his Chemistry homework and take raw fish to school as his completed homework.

Ludwig eventually had to take over in fear of his brother torching the house, himself, or both.

Gil finally got his answer later that night.

Ludwig knocked on the door then came in and read off his phone. "They're still together. Felica thinks one mistake and Roderich's a goner though."

What Gil really wanted to know, was how the hell that boy apologized. Gil had seen smaller mistakes get boys kicked curbside. He had seen smaller faults get a guy left. How Roderich managed to piss her off that much, have such a big fault, and still be kept around, Gil couldn't fathom.

He figured that guy must be really good at apologizing and sucking up. Maybe he should get a job as a diplomat and go across a sea and never come back.

Gil waved his brother off and Ludwig left.

Was it morally wrong to hope Roderich messed up again?

Gil decided that hoping wasn't going to do anything besides make his vow harder, so he turned the light out and tried to go to sleep.

The next day went like normal. He found Liz and Roderich holding hands in the hall between classes and talking like usual. They didn't look like a couple anywhere near breaking up.

Another week went by and they were still together. Then a month. Gil was really loosing hope, these two were not on rocky ground.

But then something changed. Liz had kept up her usual talking, texting, and hanging out with Gil, but Gil and Roderich were never in the same room.

But then Liz invited Gil to a party. It was a real small one, at Felica's house. Gil felt like he was really only invited because Ludwig was going. He was pretty sure his little brother had been cornered about him. Gil really didn't think it was because the Italian girl liked him. And once he heard that Liz was going to Roderich, he sure as hell knew Liz didn't ask her friend to invite Gil.

But Gil decided he would go. Not for his brother or Felica, not even for Liz. He knew his presence would piss off Roderich and anything that pissed him off was worth doing.

So when Saturday night came, Ludwig and Gil got ready. Ludwig wore jeans and a light blue button up shirt, the thin plaid marked kind.

"You look like the boy in the Kohl's catalog." Gil teased

Ludwig glared as he fixed his hair "I do not."

"Fine, you like the preppy gay boy in the high school movie."

"Shut up Gil."

Gil wore jeans and what he classified as a nice t-shirt, which was a black shirt with gold and silver splatter marks and a large German eagle.

They drove over to Felica's home, which was near Liz's. Liz was there but not Roderich. Ludwig left Gil as soon as they crossed the threshold and he went to his girlfriend, who wore a lovely casual sun dress.

Gil bet that these two would be making out in the corner by the end of the night.

Liz came over to Gil and frowned. "You look like you did your hair with a weed whacker."

"Actually, I did my hair with my hand and water."

Considering he was a short guy, all she did was reach up and flatten his hair out, and fixed it to a neat array. He blushed the moment she touched him and tried his best to not melt into her touch.

She was wearing tight jeans, a very dark blue that nearly seemed black, and a rich blue shirt that fight tightly. Her hair fell loose like it always seemed to, and Gil had to try very hard not to stare.

"So where's Mr. Preppy? He's going to love Ludwig. Maybe they can compare outfits together. Ludwig looks like a Kohl's catalog boy, and Roderich always looks like the mannequin in a department store."

Liz actually laughed at that joke even though it was insulting her boyfriend.

"Ludwig looks nice, and I think Felica thinks so too."

Gil looked over with Liz to find the happy couple kissing already. Felica's hand lay flat against Ludwig's chest.

Gil coughed "Hey, is this a party or a kissing competition, because I'm going to need to borrow a partner if it is."

Liz winked "Oh Gil, you wouldn't need to borrow a partner, you could always kiss me." She shot him a flirty look that had the effect of a lava bath on him.

That was enough to make Ludwig and Felica break apart and stare, but Liz wasn't looking at them, she was looking at Gil.

Gil knew better than to look too far into this. He and Liz always teased each other. He had said many time she could practice kissing on him. It was a joke. An inside joke between old friends, and she didn't know that something had changed. She didn't know how bad it hurt, how bad he really wanted to kiss her.

"Ah, no thanks Lizzy. I think your boyfriend would have himself a heart attack, and then he'd probably challenge me to duel or something too gentleman-like for my taste."

Ludwig looked at Felica with a nervous glance and she coughed a bit, and turned on the stereo and music filled the room.

Felica then asked Liz to help her bring out the snacks and Liz left the room, so that only the brothers stood there. Gil held his hand up to signal he was ok.

"So Luddy, how was that kiss?"

Ludwig blushed darkly. "Ah…it was good. Good…pretty good." He rubbed his neck. "Her lips taste like cherries…"

Gil laughed, and it was a real laugh too. His brother was such a dork.

Just then, Roderich knocked on the door and came in. Gil had been right, he too looked like a school clothes model. He had khaki pants, brown leather loafers, and a white polo shirt that he tucked into his pants.

"Are we going golfing Roddy?" Gil asked

Roderich shot a glare full of venom at Gil, presumably about the nick name. Which meant that Gil was going to call him that all night long.

"People dress up for parties don't they? You seem to be the only one who hasn't." He shot bitterly.

Liz walked from the kitchen carrying a bowl of something. "Oh Roderich, hey. And Gil is dressed up, that's his classy t-shirt."

Ludwig snickered "It's true, it's the one he's worn for every year book picture. His ID's all look the same from each year of school because he wears the same shirt."

To an observer, it seemed like a harmless conversation. But the truth was, it was a fight that Gil just won. His brother was solid back up, but even Liz took his side and crushed Roderich's insult. His brother and his friend rose to his defense, and that made Gil happy, even if it was just about his attire.

Felica came back out with drinks and Liz arranged everything nicely on the table. The music was at a good level so that they could hear it but also still talk and hear each other. Roderich had gone and glued himself to Liz, since he didn't know anyone else here besides maybe Felica in passing. Liz didn't typically parade her boyfriend around with her friends. They knew each other's name and usually that was it.

So for better or worse, Liz's friends knew Gil better than their best friend's longest standing boyfriend.

The party wasn't very exciting, for the most part they sat, talked, and ate. Gil was used to going to those typical free for all, over run the house, drink illegally, and run when the cops came, kind of parties. Francis, Antonio and he would go to those, Liz was not into illegal activity like that.

Gil chose to sit at the right end of the couch, and Liz sat next to him, which probably pissed off Roderich. He sat on Liz's other side.

And he must have felt threatened, the way he kept trying to touch her hand or leg, kept trying to steal her away from the general conversation top focus on him. She was getting agitated and Gil could tell, but he didn't butt in. No, Liz would handle this just fine.

Roderich must have felt her pulling away, but instead of giving her space he held on tighter. It was like gripping a wet bar of soap, the tighter you grab it the harder it is to hold on.

By the time it was over, Gil was feeling pretty good. He had laughed a lot and spent just good quality time with Liz and Felica and his brother. Roderich didn't even bother him.

And he quite enjoyed watching Roderich crash and burn.

Felica had the party end around midnight, before legal curfew. Ludwig had spent about half the night cuddling with her and holding her, and they did do a lot of kissing. He was a bit slow to pull away from her, but he managed to eventually.

Liz and Roderich were another story. Liz looked like she was three seconds away from judo-flipping him and breaking his arm.

Gil waved "Need a ride home or are you walking in the dark?"

Roderich growled defensively "I can walk her home."

Liz glared back at him. "It's out of your way. Gil's house in out that way. I'd love the ride Gil."

It was very hard not to gloat, but Gil managed to behave himself. Ludwig however allowed himself a sly smirking smile.

Gil unlocked his car but was staring at the other one in the driveway. He had to guess it was Roderich's, and it was ten times nicer than his car. He felt his cheeks burn with shame a bit. His car was his dad's old one. It was at least ten years old, it was a bit battered up, and the paint was faded in a few spots. Roderich meanwhile had a new looking Audi, in a sleek black, with what looked like leather seats.

Not only did he have to compete with a better mannered boy, the kid was rich too.

Gil figured he should have known that, but he had never made that connection. Ludwig brushed past him to get in the car and he came to his senses and got in the car, driving down the street to Liz's house.

"Thanks Gil." She said quietly as he pulled up the driveway.

And everyone in the car knew it wasn't for the ride home.

He nodded "If you feel like it, maybe we can hang out tomorrow. You know, you still owe me a pity lunch from soccer season."

Liz laughed, and the sound was quite possibly the most beautiful thing Gil had ever heard. "Deal, you idiot. Pick me up."

She opened the door and got out, and when she was inside the house Ludwig grinned at his brother.

"So do I tell Felica that Team Gil scored a date?"

Gil rolled his eyes and drove them home, not giving any comment. Ludwig pulled out his phone and presumably did text Felica just that.

Team Gil, whether it was a date or not, had won a big battle here.

#TeamGil I couldnt resist. Well, please give me your thoughts and opinions! Follow, favorite and review!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Needless to say, Gil was pretty excited about the following day. He was up early, which was rare. Considering there isn't much to do at seven am on a Saturday, he decided to make Ludwig breakfast.

Gil decided he probably shouldn't do that ever again.

The only successful part of breakfast as the orange juice because even Gil couldn't mess up pouring it from the carton to the glass. But the eggs were as black as the pan, the bacon had turned from meat to something like tar strips, and the pancakes were probably good enough to play hockey with.

Ludwig awoke to the smell of things burning and came into the kitchen quickly. His hair was a mess and he looked like he had been expecting a blazing inferno.

"…You tried cooking again." Is what he said after a while

"Yeah…I had thought it was a good idea."

Ludwig crossed his arms.

"It wasn't a good idea."

"No shit, Sherlock." He growled. Ludwig actually liked the house, he wasn't looking for it to be burned down.

"You know, I think I'll get some donuts."

Thirty minutes later Gil was back with donuts and Ludwig had cleaned up the kitchen.

They ate and Ludwig smirked slightly. "So, tell me Gil. What are you going to do on your date with Liz?"

Gil shrugged "I guess I'll ask about how she and Roderich are and take it from there."

"If they break up what are you going to do?"

Gil considered it. Liz had dated Roderich longer than anyone else he could think of. It had to have been at least…what, three or four months? Gil didn't know, he had spent a lot of that time not speaking to Liz or sulking.

"I'll do my job as a friend I guess. I'm not an asshole, if she's hurting I'm not going to jump on her to date me."

Ludwig nodded and stood up. "Well, I'll be with Felica. And uh…before you go, maybe you should wipe off your face. You look like you've done cocaine."

Gil frowned and wiped his face. Oh, powdered donuts.

He cleaned up the house a bit and watched TV until it was a reasonable time to go get Liz for lunch. He texted her at about twelve that he was driving over.

Ten minutes later he was sitting in her driveway. It took her a minute or two to come out and she slipped into his car.

"Hey."

She nodded. "Hey."

He began to drive off "So how was your morning?"

She shrugged "I'm still fighting with Roderich."

"Is it worse than any fight we've had?"

She was quiet for a solid minute before sighing "No, probably not. We have had some bad fights."

"Well it's not like it was my fault." He teased.

That brought a bit of a smile to her face. "Right Gil. We never fight because of something you did or said."

"No never."

She rolled her eyes and he got serious again. "So if your friendship survived a worse fight what's the matter? Can't make this one work out?"

"When we fight you scream and swear, hit a wall or something and in a few days at most, get over it. When I fight with him, he…handles it like girls do. I swear Gil, every bump in the road complies with him. This fight brings up something that happened back two months ago. He holds onto every little grudge and that makes it hard to get past."

"Have you told him that?"

"Why, so he can hold that against me too?" she asked

His fingers drummed on the steering wheel. "I thought he was this proper gentleman, 'the lady's always right' kind of guy?"

She sighed glumly "Yeah, me too."

When Gil pulled into the parking lot of the diner he looked over at her as he killed the engine. "You know we don't have to do this now."

She shook her head "Well, I want to. And…I like talking to you about it."

Just Gil's luck. But he smiled at her "Well let's go in before we lose the tables to the crowd. Then I'll try my best."

She nodded and they walked in together, getting a table. People stared and smiled, probably thinking they were a cute couple.

Gil sat across from Liz and looked into her eyes. She was hurting, he could see it. "Have you talked to him since last night?"

"I did, we just screamed at each other mostly."

"Do you want it to work out Liz?'

The question seemed to take her by surprise "Of course I want my committed relationship to work out!"

"I don't think so. Liz I think something is holding you back. Either some gut feeling that you know this won't work out, or something else. Think about it, he's pissed you off how many times? But yet you're still with him. I can't imagine why, because these are the things that get guys dumped. You're really serious about him, I can see. But now what. You're going to let a few fights end it? Damn, I'm glad I fought so hard for our friendship. Wouldn't you fight harder if it was me?"

She looked down "I would fight harder if it was you."

What the actual fuck did that mean?

"So tell me, why are you waving the white flag? You aren't a quitter. Liz I've never seen you fail to get something you want. I doubt I ever will. You wanted this dream guy, who did all these great things and you found him. That's a lot more than any girl can say. Don't lose him if you still like him. Liz….you have this beautiful fire in you…don't let it die. Don't let anyone put it out. If you want Wonder Bread then you better go get his sorry ass."

Wow, Gil didn't believe himself. He literally just tried coaching Liz into getting Roderich. Did he lose his mind? If he was a smart boy then he should have ripped Roderich apart, show cased his bad parts, and told her that he was no good.

But he wasn't a smart guy. He was a good guy. And Liz was his friend, and he'd never use her pain to his advantage.

Pain seemed to be twisting Liz apart from the inside and Gil had to guess it was because she didn't know how to handle Roderich. He reached over and touched her hand in a friendly way. "Hey, if my advice sucks you can always crash Ludwig's and Felica's date and ask her."

She shook her head. "No Gil, its ok. You are a great help…" she smiled at him. "It's just something else is bothering me too."

"What is it?" he asked her gently

She shook her head "Nothing big. So tell me Gil. You've heard all about my love life for the past few months. What about yours?"

Oh boy, what a question. He could hardly say 'Oh well its non-existent because I love my best friend and she's dating a prick.'

"It's…had better times." he said with a laugh "I think rumor spread that I'm a bit of a player…girls don't want much to do with me."

"They just don't know you." she said

They were interrupted by the waiter taking their order and Gil took that as an out to not reply to her.

"So anyway we didn't finish. What are you going to do about Roderich?"

"I think…I'll do what you said. I did want this perfect boy and he's everything I had wanted. I'll give it a week and see how I feel."

He grinned and winked at her "See, there you go. That's the Lizzy I know."

She kicked him under the table "Stop with that."

His smirk gave her the feeling that he wasn't going to do that.

Their lunch changed course and instead of talking about love lives they just started talking like friends did. Gil had to note that Liz too seemed eager to talk about other things, and usually she loved gushing about Roderich. He was getting the feeling that they were really over. Nothing else made sense to him. That had to be why she was dodgy.

It wasn't like she was hiding affection for her best friend.

They got their lunch and ate in peace, joking about school and friends and bad movies they'd seen. It felt good to Gil. He really felt like this was old times, back when everything was normal. But the feeling didn't last, because every laugh of hers gave him a jolt, every touch of the hand sent fire through him, and every smile felt like a stab. He knew he didn't like her. He knew he loved her.

He really loved her, so much that it hurt.

When they both finished eating Gil ended up offering to pay. "I didn't really need a pity lunch, and I am the one who offered so I got it."

With some arguing and pouting Gil managed to pay, but in turn she would help him pass Chemistry with a B. Which would be a lot more time consuming than paying a $30 bill.

They left and got in his car and Gil looked over at her. "So should I drive you home?"

She sighed and nodded "Yeah you can. I need to think about how I'm going to talk about the party to the other girls without showing I want to strangle Roderich." she paused "And I need to figure out how to make up for last night…"

Gil smiled at her "Liz. I know you can do anything. But if it all gets much, holding everything together, trying to fix fights…I'm always up. You can scream at me. Never judge, ok?"

There was a flicker of something in her enchanting green eyes but Gil didn't know what it was.

"Ok Gil." was all she said.

He began to drive and he started laughing.

"What?" she asked

"Maybe ok will be our always."

She smiled at that and laughed softly, and hit him in the arm. "Shut up."

Still chuckling to himself Gil drove her home and stopped in the driveway

"I'll see you." he said, waving as she got out of the car.

Liz nodded and smiled at him. "See you, Gil."

He watched her walk into her house and close the door and he glanced over at his now empty passenger seat.

And that empty seat looked like the loneliest thing in the world to him at that moment.

**So you thought it'd be easy after the last chapter huh? Ha! This is Liz and Gil! There's plenty of OTP frustration ahead!**

**So, follow, favorite, and review! Give me those thoughts! Whats with Liz eh? **


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Gil spent the next day with Antonio and Francis at Antonio's house. They had a lot to discuss, Gil told them all about the party and his lunch with Liz. Antonio was thrilled for his friend and Francis was clearly a Team Gil player with how excited he was.

Francis leaned back in his seat and grinned "See, I told you it would all work out in the end!"

Gil frowned "Did you really?"

Francis huffed indignantly "Of course I did, l'mour always wins!"

Gil just rolled his eyes while Antonio snickered. They ranged to talking about Ludwig and Francis was indeed jealous that Ludwig got all the gossip first hand.

It was nice just being with his friends. He felt relaxed and he was actually mildly excited to have school the next day, because it meant he got to see Liz.

Who was actually really feeling like his best friend again.

So Monday morning Gil went by Liz's locker to walk to class with her. Roderich was nowhere in sight, but there was the mob of girls all around.

One sighted Gil and the rest just moved out of the way. He leaned against the locker and grinned. "Hey there."

She handed him her Chemistry book. "Hold this."

Not that she had given him a choice. He held it and grinned "So I've been reduced to your book rack now?"

She didn't answer right away because she was busy shredding a piece of paper. The one Gil had found the day he punched Roderich. She shredded the love note he had given her.

He had been certain she had the thing framed.

Gil frowned slightly "What's the matter Liz?" he asked, his voice low and gentle

"Nothing."

She closed her locker and they began to walk to class together.

"Don't lie to me." He said

She sighed heavily and looked at the floor as they walked. "It's just really not going well Gil. I can't stand him anymore."

This was great new to him of course but he was alarmed when he saw her face. She was threatening tears. And Liz was not a crier. She probably cried about as much as he did.

So he steered them away from their path to Chem and looked at her. "Liz, talk to me. Come on."

The bell rang but Liz didn't look like she was about to care. "I'm not crying in school." Was what she managed to say, looking up and blinking rapidly

"So let's ditch." He grinned

Unamused she glared at him. "Uh, no."

"Fine. How about we take an unauthorized stroll to my car and possibly leave school grounds?"

"Gil, that's still ditching."

"It's not ditching. I didn't use that word."

"It's against the rules."

"Not if we aren't caught."

She looked highly unamused at him but a smile was playing at her lips. "Nice try." She hooked her arm through his and lugged him back down the hall to class.

Entering the class late with their arms hooked was probably not the greatest idea in retrospect. Lars whistled. Felica whipped out her phone and started texting very quickly under the table, and Roderich looked like a vein was about to pop in his forehead. He was also a very lovely shade of red.

They took their seats and got started with the lesson. Lars gave Gil and thumbs up when he sat down and Liz glared so hard at Felica that the poor girl looked scared.

In a few minutes it all cooled over and Gil totally zoned out of the lecture. Liz might not have known it, but his idea of her help in passing this class, was her letting him copy everything.

Liz kicked him under the table hard enough to make him curse audibly.

She shushed him and hissed. "Pay attention!"

He groaned "You kicked me!"

"Baby."

In fear of his shins, Gil did pay attention. Not that he understood anything. Something about thermite reactions being viciously hot.

When the bell rang Liz totally ignored Roderich and left with Gil. It seemed like Roderich might have surged to get out faster, but a combined effort of Lars tripping him and Felica squeezing out the door before him and walking slow kept him away.

Gil grinned over at her. "I'll see you later alright?"

Liz nodded and they went their separate ways.

The end of the day didn't come quick enough for Gil, but finally when they were let go he walked to meet Liz at his locker.

Ludwig came and smirked at his brother. "So I heard about Chemistry."

"Was it Felica?" Gil; asked

"Her first, but then Lars. And then half your class."

"Liz will be thrilled." He laughed a bit.

Felica came with Liz and Gil's smiled widened.

"Hey Gil…I think I'm going to go home with Felica. I need to…handle everything."

The upset look had returned to her face. He nodded and gave her a friendly pat on the arm. "I get it. Call me if you need anything ok?'

She nodded and then she left.

Gil and Ludwig made their way to the parking lot and drove home. Gil sat on his bed and stared at his phone for a while before sending Liz a text that read. "You can't win every fight, but you tried. Remember that."

He didn't get an answer. ]

The night went like usual. Ludwig did homework. Gil didn't do his. Gil made an oven dinner because that was all he was capable of doing. Ludwig went to sleep around ten thirty. Gil was marathoning some car show. He actually fell asleep on the couch, but he was woken by his phone ringing.

He groaned and flopped his hand around until he closed around it. The time read two thirty am. The caller ID read Liz.

He sat up, killed the TV and answered. "Liz? Liz what's the matter?"

It took him less than a second to figure out she was crying hard. No words managed to come out for a while before she whispered in a desperate plead. "Come over."

Technically if he drove it would break legal curfew but he needed to get there fast. He was going. "I'll be right there."

"Parents…home. The window." Then she broke back into sobs.

Gil just assured her several more times he was coming and hung up. He scribbled a note to Ludwig and left. He drove over at least ten over the speed limit and parked out in the street. Then like a fugitive he crept from the car and jumped over her fence to creep around in her backyard.

Liz had propped open the family room window so Gil artfully popped the screen out and climbed in, replaced the screen and shut the window, then climbed up the stairs. Her doors creaked, hence the window entry.

Her room was the only one with a light on. Her parents were usually heavy sleepers, but their room was above the back door. Liz's room was as far as possible from her parents room at the front end of the house. So if they kept talking at a whisper they shouldn't have to worry about being caught.

Gil walked into her room. It had been several years since he had been in her house, and it had been even longer since he had been in her room. It was pretty different too. Last time he had been there, she had light purple walls and a pink bedcover. Then again, that had been middle school.

Now the walls were a chill tan, and plastered with posters and pictures. The bed cover was black, and instead of stuffed animals on it, a distraught teen girl sat there.

Gil shut the door quietly. If her parents woke up and caught them he didn't even want to begin to wonder what they would think.

He sat down on the bed and before he could talk, Liz threw herself into him. Her arms went around him and she cried into his chest. It hardly took a minute before he felt the tears soaking in his shirt. He didn't speak, he just held onto her and rubbed her back.

She got herself together in five minutes or so and sat up a bit, but she didn't leave Gil's arms. Instead she just tugged him, until he was reclining on her pillows and she was under his arm curled into his side. He wasn't about to object to that.

"I broke up with Roderich." She said finally

He decided this was not the time for sarcasm. "So…what happened to his one week trial?"

"He became so insufferable I couldn't handle a week. He spent the entire day texting me and when I called he started yelling at me…"

Gil was thinking about hitting that guy again.

"What did he yell at you about?"

"He's jealous. Oh he's so easy to make jealous. I can hardly do class work with another guy without him getting worried. At first it was kind of cute…but I don't know if he's just so insecure or if he just doesn't trust me." She had really stopped crying now but her face and eyes were red.

"So he wasn't so perfect after all."

Liz shifted a bit. "He was everything I had ever looked for in a guy. He was charming, he was classy and smart. He held open doors and always offered to pay. He was the proper gentleman I had looked for. My friends all liked him, well at first. Then they saw how clingy he was. How he got jealous. Then I started to see that too. And then…something else."

Gil's hand was flat against her back and her head was now resting on his chest. "What did you see?'

"It...was more like felt. Gil he was a gentleman but he didn't know how to let me have my own life outside of him. And he…he was predictable. He was starting to get boring. I hadn't dated a guy long like that in a while, and even they didn't get boring. Roderich just didn't…excite me. We fought on the phone…I don't feel like talking about what he said. It would make you want to fight him again. But what…I do need to talk about if this break up. And I think I have to blame you for that."

Gil raised his eyebrow. "Oh? And why am I at fault?" He didn't remember doing anything to break them up

"Because you're different every single day. I've been your friend since grade school and I've never known a dull moment with you. I'm not joking, every day in a new adventure with you. I know when you're hurting because you hide it with anger, I know when you're struggling and when you're happy. Sometimes that's still a challenge too. But I've known you so long and I still don't have you figured out. I can never take a guess at what your about to say or do. Every time I'm with you I find myself smiling, and laughing, and sitting there totally bewildered at how I still don't know everything about my best friend. But I think that. I like this adventure I get to share with you. But I couldn't have that with Roderich. He just wasn't you. Roderich was…shallow next to you."

Gil didn't know how to take this all in right now. He just listened and felt courage and hope rising. He could say something now…

"So why didn't you leave him sooner?"

She sighed. This entire time she had talked with her head on his chest. He supposed not looking at the person always made it easier to talk.

"Because I didn't know what was happening. I had everything I had ever looked for in a guy and for some reason he just wasn't that great. Well at first he was. But towards the end of it…I found that I liked someone else. And if I liked someone else, then my heart and brain must not have been on the same page. But I was tentative to leave him. The guy I liked…Well I'm not allowed to like."

"Liz you can date whoever the hell you want. Nobody would ever reject you."

She was quiet for a while. "Yes he would. I think he likes somebody else anyway."

"No competition. He'd change his mind real fast."

Just then Liz sat up, twisted around and pressed her lips to Gil's in one of the most soft, timid, and vulnerable kisses ever.

But Gil had to admit, it was still the best kiss he ever had.

**How about that ending? Score for Team Gil! **

**Please follow, favorite, and review! What are your feelings and thoughts for this?**


	11. Chapter 11

H

Chapter 11

Gil kissed her back, his hand cupped her slightly damp cheek and he had to try really hard to not melt. Or cry. He had waited so long to kiss her. He wasn't mad that she kissed him, that was excellent too, but the timing felt wrong.

He worried that she kissed him just because she was an emotional wreck over loosing Wonder Bread. But part of him didn't care. She came at him. She wanted this.

Or was she too distressed to think?

She pulled away first and Gil saw the fear in her eyes. For just a moment, his brave, wild, confident and fiery girl was afraid of rejection. Afraid of not being good enough for someone. Gil had to wager that she had probably never looked like this at a boy before.

His lips quirked in a grin. "Wouldn't that have been a bad moment for your parents to walk in."

She shook her head at him and didn't look pacified.

"Liz I think now is as good of a time as I'm doing to get. You were right, like you always seem to be about me. I've loved somebody for a really long time now. And I do mean, love. But you don't have any competition Lizzy…because it's you. It's always been you. That's why I hit Roderich. I had talked with him to tell him to back off. He said I had missed my chance. And he was probably right. Who was I to compete with the guy of your dreams? Then we fought and I…I realized I'd rather have you as my friend, than not at all. I'd rather see you be happy with someone else than to cause a fight and hurt you. So that's why my flirting stopped. That's why I might have acted strange. Because I too fell hard, for my best friend."

Liz's eyes widened. Gil couldn't imagine why.

"I'm not your dream guy. I lack all the qualities of your dream guy. But I…I do love you, unlike any other guy could. And if that kiss was just a spur of the moment thing…it's ok. I will always be here for you. In any way you need me." His voice was thick with emotion and his red eyes burned

Liz hugged him tightly again and whispered against his neck. "Oh Gil…I never knew…" She couldn't imagine how much it had hurt him to see her with another guy. But she had meant that kiss. She fell hard for Gil. So hard, she could barely touch Roderich while she tried sorting out her feelings. She cared about him. She loved him too, and she had never been so sure of that than she was now.

"So…Liz this is serious. You left Roderich-"

She cut him off. "I wasn't lying. I did leave him because he was jealous, and clingy, and boning. I wasn't fabricating it. I did realize I loved you while I was dating him. I know now that I like you because you're fun. You are exciting. You're my best friend. Isn't that what your partner should be, your best friend?" she took his face in her hands. "Gil I'm emotional but I'm positive about how I feel. My brain thought I wanted Roderich. My heart always wanted you. Now…they're on the same page. Gil don't pull away now. Please." Her lip quivered as she realized that maybe now was actually a bad time to admit how she felt. She hoped Gil listened to her and didn't try to be noble or anything.

He regarded her for a long moment before he nodded slowly. "Fine. I won't pull away."

She nodded and held onto him, kissing his cheek. "I need you now. I need you to be my friend, and I want you to be my boyfriend too."

"Right after a big break up?"

"Gil I left him for many reasons but one of them was you. Why wait for a few weeks? Why let someone else get in the way? Roderich is already a thing of the past. You are the present. And I hope…the future."

Gil looked in those beautiful green eyes of hers and he knew how sure she was. They were sure of each other. They needed and wanted each other. She was right. Why wait?

He was just leaning in for a kiss when she jerked her head towards the door. Footsteps were coming. It was bright out, they had missed sunrise. Liz should have been getting ready for school already.

Liz's eyes widened. "Gil my parents are up, get in the closet."

"Excuse me?"

"Get in the fucking closet!' she hissed, pushing him off the bed.

Not that he had much of a choice, he staggered and jumped into her closet and pulled the doors mostly shut.

In about three seconds her mother walked in ask why she wasn't up for school. Liz faked being sick, and considering she had just been crying and up all night, it wasn't that hard to do. She left but Gil didn't come from the closet. He really didn't think being caught in her closet would do anything to make her parents fans of him.

So he sat there, next to Mt. Everest of shoes, under a few dresses, and next to something in a long garment bag. Her parents left for the lower level in what felt about like ten minutes, and Liz opened the closet door.

She put her finger over her lips and he got the message. Quietly they crept back to bed and she gestured for him to lay down in it.

Gil was pretty tired, having maybe three hours of sleep for the whole night. So he didn't complain and curled up with her, both of them still in their clothes.

Just as he got comfortable there came footsteps on the stairs. Liz kicked Gil so hard he nearly yelped. He rolled out of bed and hit the ground on the far side of the bed, hidden away from the door. For good measure he tried jamming himself under her bed.

Her mother returned with a glass of something that thunked when it was set on the nightstand. Then a pill bottle rattled as it was set beside it.

Liz was faking sleep so the footsteps receded without conversation. Gil worked on wiggling out from under the bed, when he found a stack of big books. Black books, that didn't have nearly enough dust on them.

Liz had a secret stash of the Twilight Saga that were recently read. Oh that would be a fun one to tease about.

Finally he got out from under the bed and glared slightly at her. She giggled softly and pulled him back on the bed.

"Ludwig needs a ride to school." He whispered.

Liz nodded and got out her phone and texted Felica. What a nice surprise for Ludwig. Ludwig got rides to school from his girl. Gil got shoved in closets and jammed under the bed.

Her parents left the house and they stopped being so quiet. "I think there's a nap in order."

Liz agreed. "Up here or downstairs?"

Sure Gil was pretty pleased he had spent the whole night in Liz's room on the bed with her but now wasn't a time for his brain to go in the gutter.

"I guess up here is more comfortable."

And so they both lay back down and Gil focused on sleep. They curled into each other without really asking each other. It was mutual cuddling.

Gil couldn't help but think about how it felt to have her in his arms. He wanted to remember how it felt it have her breathe against his forearm, and how her body filled his with warmth. He wanted to memorize how her hair fell over her pink cheek in a cute way. He was pleased how her body fit against his, it was perfect. In every way, they fit perfect together.

It was about two in the afternoon when he woke up. He rolled over and detached himself from Liz. She woke up in a few minutes, most likely because she lost his warmth.

"Tired still?" he asked with a yawn

She nodded and started to finger comb her hair.

"Do you want to go over to my house? I'm really over getting shoved in closets."

She laughed" Gil you can't blame me for that, you would have done the same. Anyway my parents won't be home for a while."

"Still, they wouldn't be happy to see me in the house would they?"

Liz sighed and nodded. "Fine, we will go."

That's when Gil's eyes fell on the open closet and the garment bag. "What's that?"

She blushed a bit and looked away. "It's my prom dress."

"Oh no, you mean I forgot to go dress shopping?" he gasped in horror and clapped his hands on his cheek.

She laughed and went to grab it, and she showed it to him. It was black. That's all Gil got. It was black and looked like it might be floor length.

"So, if we are dating now. Do I technically have to ask to go to prom with you?"

Liz glared, and that was an intense glare. "If you don't ask me I will find another date. Gil that is like half of prom, how the dates are asked to go. It better be something cute and creative."

The pressure was on. "And if it's not?"

"Either you re-do it or again, I find another date."

He whistled and shook his head. "Vicious." Gil had more to say, but his full complaint was cut off by lips. Her lips. On his. Again.

He decided that if she kissed him every time he complained, he would be doing a lot more complaining. He kissed her back, but this time was different than last night…or technically earlier today. He held her in his arms, his arms around her, hands flat on the small of her back. And her arms were around his neck, one hand just started to play with the start of his hairline.

It was a far more genuine kiss. There were no tears. There were no alter motives. Liz was done with Roderich. She said she had fallen for Gil while being with him. And he had loved her since fall. There was no point to putting it off. She made the move twice. This time, she was not emotionally over strung.

But both times, she had meant it.

So this kiss was a more powerful one. He didn't hold out, and neither did she. It was a chick flick kiss, the long hot one between two soul mates. His hands slid up her back, her hands slipped into his hair, and they pulled each other closer until their bodies met with hardly a gap.

Gil couldn't say how long that kiss lasted. All he knew is that sometimes one pulled away to breath, but then they were back at it. Slowly, they parted and stared into each other's eyes.

Neither one of them could stop smiling. Whenever they tried, the smile crept back. They were two friends, so tangled up in love, they could never drift apart if they tried. And finally, they both came to terms with it.

"So, should we be telling people?" he asked as they walked out of her room.

"I think we should just kiss in the hallway tomorrow and see what happens."

He laughed and took her hand, walking towards the door. They would go to his house and relax there. Gil was serious about not wanting to be shoved places.

"I think we should at least tell Luddy and Felica."

She considered it and nodded. "How about we just kiss in front of them?"

They got in his car and he grinned. "That's perfect. I want to see their reaction though!"

He drove them over to his house and thought about the whole adventure. "You know, when I got shoved under the bed…I found your dirty little secret.'

She looked over at him confused. "Excuse me?"

"The Twilight books. I found them. No dust. Really Liz?"

She blushed darkly and didn't say anything.

So being a pain in the ass like he was, he smirked at her. "Team Edward or Team Jacob?"

She looked utterly mortified. "Team Never Speak of This Again."

He laughed as he pulled into his driveway. "Ok, fair. Your secret is safe with me."

Together they walked inside and Gil looked at her.

"What?"

"How are you going to tell Roderich?" He wanted to be there, and maybe film the boy's hissy fit.

"I guess he will just see us kissing like everybody else."

Gil thought for a moment how pissed he would be. Roderich would probably be hurt about the break up. Then he smirked in a real pleased way. It would really put a twist in Roderich's panties to see Liz dating a new guy so fast, especially when that new guy was Gil.

The door opening broke Gil from his thoughts. Ludwig walked in with Felica and he stared. "Thanks for leaving with the car this morning."

"Liz told Felica to come get you."

"I was almost late to first hour."

Felica broke up the boy's argument with "So why did you miss school?"

Liz sighed a bit and said "Well, I broke up with Roderich. I didn't feel like going to school.

"Gil, why did you miss school?" Felica asked, looking over at him. She was sitting with Ludwig, holding his hand. Ludwig looked really interested in this conversation. His eyes settled on his brother.

"Because my girlfriend was upset." he answered easily

Ludwig and Felica both stared at them, then they glanced at each other. By the time they looked back at Gil and Liz, the two were kissing. Not just first date pecking, but getting at it kissing.

The kiss brought Ludwig to blushing, and he looked away with a groan.

Felica squealed excitedly and shook her hands, and Liz broke away from Gil.

"Team Gil for the win!" she yelled excitedly, in the same tone of a fangirl whose OTP just became canon.

Liz stared confused. "Team…Gil?"

"Despite it being named after me, I had no part in the formation."

Felica came over and hugged Liz excitedly and Ludwig smiled at his brother.

Gil couldn't say the last time that he had felt so happy. This was something amazing, and he would never let go of this moment, or this girl. If his life was a fairytale, then this was his happily ever after.

For the first time ever, the thought of prom brought a smile to his face, instead of waves of anger.

Yes, Gil was excited to don that suit and buy a girl flowers, because that girl, was Liz.

**Well this is winding down, almost over! Please follow, favorite, and keep up those lovely reviews! What do you think?**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The next day Gil was happy to go to school. He couldn't wait to rub it in Roderich's face that he was dating Liz. Finally everything was going well for him.

He drove himself and Ludwig over, and like every morning he met with Liz by his locker. However, this time he kissed her cheek, because he could now.

"You look pretty hot today." he said with his teasing tone.

It wasn't like being her boyfriend was suddenly going to make him a well-mannered guy. If anything he'd probably get worse. He'd find ways to make at least one, tact-less compliment a day.

"Hey Gil, your pants are unzipped."

He probably should have known better. She had pranked him so many times. But he looked down anyway, and like the other ten times before, she flicked his nose when he looked down.

He sighed and looked back up. "You'd think I'd have learned."

"Yeah, one would think."

Felica giggled. Gil had totally forgotten she and Ludwig were there too.

Ludwig grumbled "It's like they forgot we exist."

Liz pulled Gil's arm before he could reply to his brother. "Class."

He groaned and allowed her to lead him off to Chemistry.

It really wasn't too exciting of a day, besides for Gil being able to tell his friends the good news at lunch, in full detail.

Francis grinned "Now we all have dates! I was worried, I would have been hard pressed to find you a date."

Antonio laughed "Yes, we would have to get a girl from another school, all the ones here either knew you were Liz's or hated your guts~"

Gil glared at them both. Francis was taking Arthur, because somehow they actually stopped fighting long enough to talk about it. Antonio was taking Romano and Gil had a strange desire to see them attempt to take prom pictures. He didn't foresee that going well.

Gil went on with his day. The plan was to kiss at the end of the day when people were leaving. To leave through the main doors, people had to pass Gil's locker.

So when the final bell rang, he tosses his books in and waited for Liz. She was followed by more than Felica today, which probably meant they were going shopping. Or one of them was dress shopping and needed the group's approval.

Gil was real glad guys didn't do that. He wasn't sure what kind of suit he'd need to impress Francis with, but he was pretty sure it'd be something ghastly.

Liz was smirking in her confident (super sexy) way. Gil leaned against his locker, and she just kept walking until she stood in front of him. Then he leaned down and just kissed her.

Gil thought about this all day, but no amount of thinking would really prepare him for the girl's reaction. There was a collective gasp and even a few shrieks. Gil hadn't been the only one dying to kiss Liz, half the girls there seemed like they had wanted it for him.

They pulled away and Gil noticed a lot of people looked, mostly because the shrieks. Either way it was mission accomplished because Roderich had seen and he was a delightful shade of purple.

Liz smiled and backed away. "Felica needs a dress so we are going shopping."

Gil nodded "Cool. I'll see you around then. We have to plan out the night. And by we, I mean you and I'll listen."

Liz grinned wider and laughed, walking away with all her friends. Ludwig looked at Gil. "She better not pick a pink dress. I don't want to wear a pink tie."

Gil smirked "You'd look great with a hot pink tie." his eyes fell over to the practically empty hallways. Roderich was still standing there, watching Gil.

"I'll meet you in the car."

"Gil…" Ludwig said in a warning tone

"Go." he growled, walking over to the other side of the hallway to confront Roderich.

The boy was in a mood to fight, he yelled at Gil. "How dare you take advantage of her pain!"

"I didn't. I was her friend long before the likes of you showed up. She liked me for some time now. I didn't force it. It was her choice. She just took some time to see you weren't a dream, you were a nightmare."

"Don't try to sound smart, everyone knows how stupid you are. Stupid and poor, what a guy you are." He spat angrily

"Well I'd rather be an idiot and take Liz to prom than be a jealous over-dramatic sore loser like you." he smirked "And if you got so much extra cash, why don't you go buy yourself a better personality?"

There was a stiff silence while the two boys glared at each other. Roderich broke eye contact first and turned away.

Gil said one final thing. "You would have done alright, if you knew how to trust her. She's not your property Roderich. She's allowed to go out without you and have friends you don't know. You lost her. You pushed her away. Don't blame her, or me. It's entirely your fault."

Gil walked away and left the building, going to his car and getting in with Ludwig.

"Please tell me you didn't hit him."

"I did a lot worse than hitting him Ludwig, I broke his ego." Gil shook his head and drove off.

Liz and Felica came over towards six o'clock. By came over, Felica drove up and beeped until Ludwig came out, and then had him drag Gil out of the house too. Ludwig and Gil both crunched into the back seat and grumbled. "You make the bigger people sit in the back?"

Liz laughed "Suck it up."

Gil grumbled as he tried to remove his knee from his spleen. "You know, normally people ring the doorbell, or text. Sometimes they even do this neat thing called a phone call!"

"Be happy we decided to invite you two dorks." Felica said.

Neither brother knew where they were going, nor why. But it didn't really matter to them.

Before Gil could ask what they were doing, Liz turned the radio higher and both girls began to sing along. Gil didn't mind singing. Liz had a pretty voice. But the fact she was singing 'I Knew You Were Trouble' was kind of concerning.

What was more concerning was that Ludwig began to sing along, and he knew every word.

Thankfully Felica turned into the parking lot of a restaurant and turned the car off, killing the radio.

"I think a part of my soul just died." he grumbled, yanking the door open and spilling out of the car.

Liz laughed and took his hand, looking up at him. "Come on, behave yourself. We are on our first date."

Gil's cheeks burned slightly but a dorky grin also spread on his face. Together they walked in and were seated in a booth with Ludwig and Felica.

"So how come we are eating out?" Ludwig asked

"We have to plan prom."

Ludwig gave such a valiant effort to smile but it failed miserably. He liked plans. He didn't like formal dances. He'd much rather prefer to be told: This is what's happening at prom now deal with it.

But they sat and a waiter took their drink orders.

Felica took out a bag from the nearby mall and gave it to Ludwig. "I grabbed you a tie to match my dress!"

Ludwig reached into the bag and pulled out a hot pink tie. Gil snorted pretty loud and someone kicked him, but he wasn't sure if it was Liz or Ludwig.

Ludwig smiled at Felica. "I'm sure you will look lovely in this color."

Now it was Liz's turn to snicker. Felica had a lovely black dress, short and flirty. She had just wanted to mess with Ludwig.

Ludwig stuck the tie in the bag and put it next to him, then he leaned over and kissed Felica sweetly.

From there the girls really began to plan everything out. Prom would be held in a very classy reception hall, where most people had their wedding receptions. It wasn't very far away so they ruled out the use of a limo or party bus. However they would not lack style, Felica was getting the keys to her father's Ferrari.

"Is that big enough?" Ludwig asked

"It seats four, so we will go together, after we take pictures! Ludwig I'll even let you drive."

Ludwig looked pretty pleased about that. Gil was excited to, he liked cars.

"So is it just us taking pictures?"

Liz shook her head. "You will come to my house and we will take pictures together, then we can drive to Felica's and take more pictures together! Francis and Antonio are coming with their dates."

Romano was Felica's brother of course, and Francis was friends with practically every girl in the school.

"What about all your friends?"

Liz stared at him. "Gil I want to spend more time getting ready than taking pictures. I give it an hour at Felica's, tops. I don't need a three hour photo shoot."

Gil was so thankful Liz held onto her tomboy roots. He didn't want to pose for a three hour photo shoot either. Ludwig also looked similarly thankful.

Drinks came and they ordered. None of them really needed a menu, the place was one of the few bar/grill places in town and many people from school came here on dates.

They continued to talk about prom.

"I'm all for dancing." Gil winked at Liz.

"You really didn't have a choice in the matter but I'm glad you're on board." she winked right back at him.

"What are we doing after?" Ludwig asked.

"Antonio offered up his house for the after party. We will drive over there, have a late night snack, and probably mess around until we all pass out from exhaustion." Felica answered

"Or alcohol consumption." Gil piped in

Felica glared "Or exhaustion."

Their food came and talking slowed. Gil had a real nice steak, the food was reasonably priced and really good.

So their prom night was set and Gil couldn't be any happier. He got to spend the night with his best friends, and his amazing girlfriend.

And beyond that, Liz was finally taking a boy home to her parents. She had finally found someone she really loved, and someone who she wanted to show to her family. Liz had found a guy she wanted to keep around for a long while.

And that was him.

**Next week is spring break. I'm not planning on posting over it**. **So two weeks or less it'll be up**

**I think the next chapter should be the last one so, hit me up with those follows, favorites, and reviews! Comments?**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Soon enough the night came. Ludwig and Gil would have both liked to say they were calm and collected, but in reality they were scrambling around the house like madmen. Ludwig was wearing his towel from his shower searching for his suit, which Gil had accidently moved. Gil was madly looking for his shoes and his hair gel, which Ludwig hadn't seen.

It took them both a bit to calm down, but eventually Ludwig located his suit and Gil was able to do his hair. Ludwig had to tie Gil's tie for him, all while Gil laughed at the bright pink tie his brother wore. Gil wore black pants and a black shirt, with a silver tie, and a black suit jacket. He didn't like to wear white since he was already so pale. Ludwig was dressed the same, because his pink tie didn't look good against a white shirt.

"The tie does look pretty good with the black suit." His voice didn't hold any sarcasm this time.

Ludwig huffed and together they went out to the car and drove. Gil dropped Ludwig at Felicia's so they could take their couple pictures. Gil drove himself to Liz's and he had to collect himself before getting out of the car. He looked respectable in his tux, his hair was done and he cleaned up very nice.

He had been to her house before of course, but not like this. Her parents didn't like him around before, and he'd be even less welcome now. But after all the problems this year, after dream boy, Liz picked him. He was who she had confidence in, and that made him smile. She didn't see an orphaned poor boy in him. She saw something, he didn't know what but he was glad she did.

So Gil got out of the car and walked to the door, and he knocked. Her father answered and stared at him a bit less than welcoming. Good thing he hadn't been caught in her room those few weeks ago, because Gil thought he might've been greeted with a gun.

Her father stiffly let Gil in the house. Like most fathers he just wanted the best for Liz. Like a good boy with straight A's who probably would be a lawyer. Roderich would have been welcomed here.

Her mother was a bit kinder, she said Liz was still getting ready upstairs. Oh boy.

Gil took a seat and sat in the living room. He hoped Liz came down before he got frostbite. He had to look at the ground, because he didn't want to see the disapproving looks from her parents.

And if they gave him that look, he'd likely say something smart like 'hey I snuck in that window and spent the night in your daughter's room.'

The silence was broken by a growl "Look here boy, you better not hurt her, or I will hurt you. I know you live in that house alone, God knows what you do—"

Prom or not he wasn't going to sit there and be railed on. "I do my homework, balance a budget from life insurance and the sporadic checks from my low life father and I raise my little brother, like I have for years. So if you want to find a fault in me for that, look no further. I lied for years and pretended to be my father so nobody came and took our house, or my little brother. Yes, what a criminal I am, living alone and becoming a parent, lying so I don't lose my only family to the foster system. Good thing I'm 18 now!" Gil didn't really care how rude that came off, he didn't need a man who didn't know a damn thing pointedly accusing him of being some low life bum who did drugs and brought home girls every weekend.

What he said did the trick because it shut up her father and made him look nearly ashamed.

"Liz has been my friend since grade school. I've been just about the same person since then too. Still immature and stupid, but still caring and loyal. So I will take care of her, because I always have. Just because I'm dating her now, doesn't mean she still isn't my friend. Don't worry. Sir."

The room was quiet for the next minute and her father simply nodded. It would take him a moment to forgive Gil's attitude, but he did admit to himself that he had judged the boy too fast, on too superficial of grounds.

Liz's heels clicking on the stairs brought both men to attention. Gil grinned widely and felt his breath leave his lungs and not come back. Liz was beautiful, she always was but this was stunning. The black dress had looked like nothing special on the hanger when he first saw it, but on her it was something.

It was plain, the front had just ruffles here and there in the flow, and rose to her chest. It was not low cut in a slutty way, but not nun-ish either. The strap went around the back of her neck, and as for the back, well there was no back. It was all open, coming back at her hips, where it then clung. Her dress was loose from her hips down, in a dreamy flow like way all the way to the floor. He couldn't see he shoes but he guessed they were silver, because she had told him to wear a silver tie, which he did.

Her hair fell loose down her back in rivets and curls, and her makeup was done perfectly, in the way where it wasn't too much, but it accented all her finest features and hid the lesser ones.

Gil was totally star struck. He stared for a moment before walking to her and grinning widely. "You clean up pretty nice Lizzy."

She blushed and shoved his arm lightly. "You don't look half bad yourself."

He laughed a bit, but before he could say anything intelligent about how good she looked, he was shuffled off to the family room to take pictures with her. Then to the front yard. Gil didn't find it hard to smile, it was coming naturally. He held her, hugging from behind, and he noticed just how they were the perfect size for that pose.

Other pictures came, but Liz told her parents tot quit so they wouldn't be late. Liz went to grab something from inside with her mother, and Gil stood outside with her father.

"Enjoy yourself tonight. I'll see you and her tomorrow."

Gil figured that was the closest to acceptance he was going to get, and that worked just fine for him.

Liz returned and he opened the car door for her, just this one time. She looked surprised but he just shrugged. "Well for this one night, you look like a princess so I figured I should treat you like one."

She blushed at that too, and he got in the car and drove off, making sure to do so very responsibly. He parked in Felica's driveway and held his hand up. "Don't get out yet."

They had agreed not to get each other flowers but he had gotten her a corsage anyway. So he reached in the back seat and pulled it out. He had decided on a red rose, because red went with black, and he liked the simple elegance and romance of a red rose.

She smiled widely went she saw it and held out her wrist, and Gil attached it.

"I thought we said no flowers?"

"I hate flowers. But you don't. So I said no flowers so you wouldn't get me one."

She leaned over and kissed him, and Gil melted into it like he had every single time since the first. He was never going to get sick of her lips.

Gil would have continued his kiss, if Francis hadn't started taking pictures (with flash) from outside.

"Later." he promised and got out of the car.

Ludwig was standing by the front of the house with Antonio and Romano. They were taking all out door pictures because of the nice weather, and the nice land scape. The soft tan brick of the house was a nice backdrop, but it was mostly lost to the vibrant green bushes, stunning flower beds, and a grand fountain, spewing clear water in the center.

Felica and Liz squealed and ran at each other, hugged, and started chattering excitedly, so Gil walked to his brother.

"Gil don't you love the pink color of Felica's dress?" Francis laughed

Gil looked to see that Felica was wearing black, like Liz. It was short and frilly, all together different than Liz's, but black.

"Luddy was just dying to have a pink tie I bet." Gil snickered, and ducked his brother's hand.

Antonio wore a dark red shirt, his suit jacket already over his arm. He had black pants and a matching tie. Romano had the usual white and black ensemble going on. Francis was wearing a grey suit with a pale pink shirt, and no tie. His date was looking pretty good too, in a black suit with a green shirt that brought out the shades of green in his eyes. Gil didn't know Arthur well, but he knew Francis had been dying to get this guy for ages.

The boys made easy conversation while the girls took about a hundred pictures of just the two of them. Then things got moving.

Gil had to take pictures with Liz, Ludwig and Felica, and then he got shuffled to take a picture with just Antonio and Francis. Gil had to pose with Ludwig, taking a shot of just the two brothers, then there were group pictures, with everybody standing behind their date, then next to them.

Then came the exciting poses. The classic back-to-back Charlie's Angel's finger guns. Then a shot of each couple kissing, first it was nice sweet kisses. Then it became who can do the most outrageous kiss. Ludwig picked up Felica and kissed her holding her up. Francis dipped Arthur like a dance move and kissed him passionately, making it seem like a still frame from some 80's romance movie. Antonio got risky, starting with a nice kiss, then grabbing his dates ass, which led to some very loud swearing. However the picture was fantastic, it had been caught just before Romano flipped out, meaning the two were kissing and Antonio had his hands on Romano's ass. Gil had to do something but he couldn't think of any more crazy poses.

Then he decided on something. He whispered it to Liz, who grinned at him, and he leaned in. When their lips met he had to remind himself that people were present, because damn, could he get lost in the feeling. Gil's idea was to recreate the famous sailor kissing his girl after coming home from war picture, So Liz lifted one leg behind her, and Gil held her tight to him, leaning into her so they she bent back, but that her body touched his. It might not have been the wildest, but he was damn sure it was the most romantic.

Now that they had enough pictures, it was time to get over to the reception hall.

Francis and Arthur drove with Antonio and Romano, so they left in their car. Felica grabbed the keys to the Ferrari and gave them to Ludwig.

"Why don't I get to drive fancy cars?" Gil asked

"Because you're irresponsible and speed, all the time?" Liz said with a teasing smirk as she slipped into the back of the car. Gil followed right after her, enjoying the very luxurios interior.

Ludwig looked totally thrilled to be behind the wheel, and he backed up and drove, making a very pleased face.

Gil was holding Liz's hand, so when he said "Is that your orgasm face Luddy?", she whacked him on that arm.

"Be nice to your brother!"

"I am nice to my brother!" Gil argued

"Sometimes." Ludwig grumbled, an amused smile spreading on his face. He was so glad his brother had finally gotten with Liz. He liked seeing them both happy. And there was nothing cuter than seeing two childhood friends falling madly in love with each other.

When they arrived at the reception hall, it took about five minutes to park the car. Then they proceeded to walk in together. Already so many people were in the foyer, moving in and out of the main room. Gil knew some people, and others he didn't. Liz broke away to see her other friends, and he eventually got dragged over into the sea of makeup and sequins. He knew that being the most popular girl's date would have him being paraded around like a show dog, but it was way worse than he expected.

He thought he just had to stand there and look handsome, but they actually asked him questions. So he tried his hardest to answer them and move on.

They moved into the main room, and Gil had to admit it looked pretty. There were tables all around the room in a half moon around the dance floor. The tables were covered in white tablecloths, and they had the school colors as flowers and napkins. A DJ was nestled into the corner near the dance floor, already playing some music.

The back wall had a table covered in finger foods, then another with drinks in ice tubs.

"So, what next?" he asked Liz.

Liz looked up at Gil, and leaned into him, hugging him. "I think we should just go wherever feels right. I'm done bossing you around for the night. I'll start again tomorrow."

Gil chuckled and shook his head, but he was grinning widely.

So that's what they did. It was eight o'clock, so most people were digging into the food. Gil led Liz over there, and they covered the plates with a variety of food. There was all sort of strange food, the kind of food that floated around the room during a wedding's cocktail hour. Vegetables, rolled foods stabbed with toothpicks, cheeses, crackers, and more. Gil took two of everything as he moved down the table. At the drink table he snagged soda for him and Liz, and they staked a claim at a table.

The other couples who took pictures with them joined at the table. Antonio hung his suit jacket on the back of his chair and did little eating, but a lot of complimenting and flirting. Gil was 90% certain once they got to Antonio's house, those two would disappear behind a locked door.

Francis and Arthur weren't fighting for once, instead the two were playing guess the food, popping pieces from their plates into each other's mouth.

Ludwig was eating, while his cheerful Italian girl just rambled off on who knows what. Gil smiled a bit, because while he didn't have a clue what Felica was going on about, he could tell Ludwig was hanging onto every word she said.

Gil and Liz ate their own food like normal people, and talked about how each thing tasted, how other people they knew looked, and how the room looked.

When the food was gone, the eight talked, conversation just wandering like it typically does at dinners like these. They talked about how each started dating the other, and how they asked each other to prom.

Ludwig smiled a bit while he talked. "I drove to her house on the weekend, tossed a small stone at her window, and when she came, held up a sign that said prom on it. I uh, had a rose in my mouth."

Antonio had done it in the school hallway before first hour. He had jammed Romano's locker full of paper hearts, that all said prom? on them. So when he opened the locker, they fell all over the hall.

Francis had sent Arthur roses, with a note that only had an address. So when Arthur showed up to the park, Francis had left clues that took him on a scavenger hunt, until he ended up by the duck pond. Where Francis waited with a single rose, matching the ones he had sent to the house. Then he had asked simply.

Gil smirked "Alright boys, I'm about to out do you all."

Liz groaned from beside him.

"So I called Liz over to my house when Ludwig was out, and we decided to watch a movie. I picked out this really awful chick flick and we both sat there, dying internally and wanting it to be over. I picked that movie on purpose because I knew about halfway through Liz would walk out of the room and not come back. In the kitchen, where she would go, I had two prom tickets on the table. So she called me in there and launched into her 'You didn't formally ask me' pre-prepared rant, so I cut her off with a kiss. Then, I got down on my knee, because I'm romantic like that, took her hand and asked her. "Liz, will you go to prom with me?", while holding out the tickets like a guy holds a ring." he grinned "Naturally that wasn't good enough for her, so she flat out told me to re do it. Which I knew she would do. So I said 'damn, I better get some cream for that burn' and because she's sarcastic, she opened the drawer where we keep the burn cream. In the drawer, I had a hand written note in German, so naturally she demanded I translate it. It ended up being 'what's white and wears black and can't dance?' so when she sighed and dramatically asked what, I said me on the dancefloor at prom, with you."

It might not have seemed like something amazing, but the fact Gil knew just what Liz would do, and that she did do those things, showed how well he knew her. The casual way, the over exaggerated way he asked, was a mark to their long standing friendship. Gil wasn't a romantic. They were friends longer than a couple, and their friendship was full of pranks, sarcasm, jokes, teasing, and doing stupid things just like that exchange.

Liz had said yes, because she couldn't think of a more moving and meaningful way to be asked to prom. Her best friend, her boyfriend, their relationship, it all was summed up by Gil's seemingly simple plan.

Ludwig and Gil's friends got the meaning in that, and by the excited shiver Felica did too. They all had romantic ways, each in their own unique way.

Time wore on and they moved for the dance floor. They danced for a good hour, to the fast party songs. Gil and Liz did some dirty dancing, with some grinding and some flirty grabs, but it was in good fun. They also got into a few fierce make out sessions, and by the end of the hour Gil had more lipstick on him than Liz had on her.

They had to be out of the room by midnight, and it was already coming up on eleven thirty. So the DJ switched to playing slow songs.

Gil smiled, shifting and taking her right hand, and placing his left hand on her hip. She stepped close to him, her hand on his chest. They started to sway, moving in a lazy circle.

"You know, I never imagined prom being like this." he said

"What did you see?" her green eyes searched his red ones

"I never thought I'd be slow dancing with my dream girlfriend, that's for sure. I guess I figured I wouldn't go."

Liz was caught on the words 'dream girlfriend', and Gil could tell.

"Did you think you were the only person who had a dream date?"

"No I…just didn't think…I'd be yours."

The song ended and went into another slow song but they didn't stop dancing.

"Well, my dream girl was always a tough girl. One who could play with the boys, handle the teasing and the humor, but be able to blow me away when she dressed up. I had always wanted my girlfriend to be my best friend…I just didn't know she would actually be my best friend."

Liz looked up at him "You know, I didn't see prom like this either. I saw myself dancing with a boy who knew how to waltz, with that dream guy. I just didn't know my dream guy would be a bore. I'm glad that my heart picked someone else. I'm glad I came with you, with my best friend. I don't have to worry about a hissy fit, or worrying I'll get drugged or something. I know that if the punch is spiked, I'll be safe with you. Beyond all that, I'm glad I was wrong about my dream guy."

"You're glad Roderich broke your heart?" he raised his eyebrow.

"No, I'm glad I had someone loyal enough to be there when I fell. To have someone who would heal the hurt, and never let me down like that again."

Now it was Gil's turn to be moved.

Gil leaned down and kissed her, a long sweet kiss. His hands fell to her hips, and her hands rested on his neck. They stopped moving, and kissed each other long and loving. They didn't have to worry about their relationship lasting past prom. They didn't have to worry about college pulling them apart.

They were best friends, they knew each other, they trusted each other. They held each other's secrets, and with those secrets they had the power to destroy each other. But they didn't, because they weren't just a boy and a girl dating. They were two lifelong friends, who knew each other's flaws and faults and didn't care.

They were perfect together. She was the girl he had always loved, in one way or another. The girl he trusted and leaned on. He was the boy she relied on, who was always there when she needed him. He was the boy she had confidence in, after all; he was the boy she brought home.

**The End **

**So I hope you liked the ending. What did you think about this chapter and the book all together? Thanks for reading, and all those lovely reviews, follows and favorites, you guys are great!** **I hope you enjoyed the book as a whole, so please leave those final reviews for me!**


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